The Justice Reaper
by A. E. Giggle
Summary: SEQUEL TO TSK & TWS: After his time at Hogwarts, Edward knows that Bella and he are destined to be parents. Unfortunately, their time on Isle Esme sets other, more ominous events in motion too.
1. Omens

**A/N: I'm back! Firstly, I would like to announce to you all that I am on Pottermore. I gained early admission to the site. My name is RoseSpell35, and I was sorted into Gryffindor. If you happen to register with the site and would like to add me, please feel free.**

**For the people who have just randomly opened this story, if you haven't read The Secret Keeper or The Wisdom Seeker yet, I suggest you check those out first, or you won't know what the bloody hell is going on. Cheers!**

**EPOV**

A white bolt flashed through the trees up ahead. My limbs pumped furiously as I silently tracked it through the ancient wooden maze. Like a spectre, it disappeared in an instant, vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared. Not that that mattered, of course. I didn't need glimpses to find my way; scents and sounds were more than sufficient. A savage beat thudded in my ears, calling out like the primitive pounding of drums. The sound was the most vital one I knew—raw, unsophisticated and utterly holy as it echoed back from its source.

Warped roots and snake-like vines disappeared beneath my feet as I surged through the underbrush, the whistling air the only evidence of my flight. My family were equally silent as they followed me through the forest. Together, we moved like homing missiles, locked onto a shared target.

Another chalky streak danced across my vision, urging me on as it twisted in and out of towering columns. That sight alone inspired another surge of fierce power. It gripped my muscles more fiercely than ever, blasting through my thighs and torso. The speed was so great that I could barely differentiate between my own movements and those of the world around me. It was almost as if everything else was on fast-forward while I remained as still as ice, watching it all blur together around me.

The creature I pursued couldn't escape; she wasn't fast enough for that. Until now, I'd kept a careful distance, allowing her space as she tore her way over the earth. My instincts told me her hunt was almost over though. Her prey was close, and in mere minutes, she would be upon it, unrepentantly absorbing its life force―an almighty sight to behold.

The animal inside me refused to miss it.

I slowed as I caught up with her, as did the others. Bella, too, had decelerated, her movements commanded by the predatory instincts of the lioness.

We hadn't set out from the house with a hunt in mind. Our only purpose had been to explore the forest. Soon it would be Bella's hunting territory, and we decided it would be wise to familiarise her with the area and its trails before she was turned. On top of that, I just wanted to see the lioness. She was another facet of Bella's character that continued to fascinate me.

We had covered seven miles before the shift in Bella's intent. Instinct had suddenly overpowered everything else as the lioness registered her hunger, and as if by fate, less than a minute later, our path intersected a fresh trail. The white creature reacted instantly, her claws digging into the dirt to halt her journey, right before she launched east, her mind caught in an inescapable maelstrom of bloodlust.

My family had arrived ten minutes later, after Alice declared that Bella was about to embark upon her first hunt. However civilised we had taught ourselves to be over the decades, we were all predators at heart, and none of us could deny the appeal of watching the animagus as she learned to trust her most basic impulses.

_She's a natural, _Carlisle observed, peeking around the mossy trunk of an old spruce. I nodded in acknowledgement, my eyes glued to Bella's every movement.

The ground was rocky and uneven, acclivitous with brown and grey jagged stone protruding up through the earth's skin like giant fingernails, most large enough to hide the creeping feline. My gaze wandered to the incline's peak. At the top, a gang of elk were grazing peacefully, sheltered from the wet weather by a fanning emerald canopy. Silently, I crept forwards. If I was going to watch the hunt to its gory conclusion, I was determined to see it play out from the best possible angle. For that, I needed to get closer.

Bella remained in front, moving stealthily towards her prey. Her footsteps were quiet to begin with, but beneath the muffling pitter-patter of raindrops, the herbivores never stood a chance. With her head close the ground, her shoulder-blades forming sharp ridges, she edged her way up the slope, following the rocks and roots offering effective concealment.

It was adrenaline, rather than physical exertion, which now fed the furious beat emanating from within her chest. Her heart didn't slow its pace as she slinked towards the elk, nor did her muscles relax as her belly skimmed the rocks she crept over. Despite my lack of a heartbeat, that was one reaction I completely understood, because with every step that Bella took, my own excitement escalated to the point where I struggled to control my breathing. My chest trembled as the air left my lungs, while my fingers ground into the bark of the tree concealing me.

When only fifteen feet separated her from the grazers, Bella halted. I licked my lips, watching in amazement as her golden eyes swept the gang. To an experienced predator, her intent was obvious. She was searching for the weak link—attempting to pinpoint the easiest target.

I heard her decision the moment she made it. Her golden eyes landed quickly on a bull drifting close to the edge of the group. It was smaller than the others—not a calf, but certainly not fully grown either—possessing all the traits of adolescence, its neck less bulky than those of the other bulls, with antlers covering a smaller area.

_That's it, girl, _Emmett thought. He crouched down beside me, having followed with the others from the base of the hill. When his attention shifted briefly to me, he threw me the kind of smirk he used to wear before Quidditch games. I returned it with one of my own. Jasper appeared equally exhilarated, his irises glittering like winter frost as the lioness' limbs coiled to spring.

What happened in the following seconds was almost impossible to describe, and I wasn't sure I'd be able to do justice to the images that flooded my vision.

Like elastic bands, the witch's muscles snapped, flinging her forwards in a moment of pure, glorious instinct. The entire thing was mesmerising, visceral and lovely. If the peace were glass, then Bella was the bullet that shattered it. Chaos poured from her roar, infecting the animals as she ripped through their gang.

The elk scattered, panic flooding their limbs. Similarly, the doomed bull whipped away in an instant, his legs pounding frantically in a bid to escape. The lioness sped after him, her black lips curling back over monstrous teeth. Her target had barely managed twenty feet when she thrust herself through the air, her arms flying out in front of her, steely claws poised to strike. In the next second, those razor-sharp weapons slammed mercilessly into her prey's back, provoking a short-lived wail. In an expert manoeuvre, she lunged at its neck, violently sinking her teeth into the waiting flesh. The impact of the collision sent the pair flying, and, together, they curled through the air at a treacherous speed. Bella controlled the fall as perfectly as an experienced lioness, pulling her prey to the ground in an unyielding embrace. She rolled with the elk until they lost momentum, refusing to break contact even after coming to halt by the roots of a giant hemlock.

At first, the bull struggled. As was only natural, it tried desperately to free itself, kicking its legs at the air. Its thrashing, however, soon gave way to frenzied twitching as its asphyxiated body used up the last of its oxygen supply. Finally, the elk's heart stuttered once, and then fell quiet after giving its final beat.

It was only when the spark disappeared from its beetle-black eyes, leaving behind two cold, depthless orbs, that I realised I had stopped breathing. A bloody scent exploded up my nose when I finally inhaled, overpowering the more appealing aroma coming from my Singer. With its arteries sliced open, sanguine liquid spilling out in a scarlet fountain, the elk's pungent scent was the strongest in the area.

Bella loosened her iron grip with a grunt, shifting until she hovered over the bull's abdomen. I watched in awe while she sank languorously to the floor, clearly relaxed as she plunged her teeth into her prey's belly.

_Incredible, _Carlisle thought, his mind an echo of my own. _She doesn't even seem to mind the blood._

I hummed. "She likes it."

"Well, of course she does," Alice whispered excitedly. "She's a lioness. What were you expecting?"

Bella seemed unconcerned with our presence. She checked over her shoulder a few times after hearing our advance, but didn't react beyond that. I seated myself on a dome-shaped rock three metres from the carcass, mesmerised by the spectacle. The lioness went straight for the heart, tearing it to pieces bit by bit. She ate with gusto, rarely bothering to chew her food, and quickly moved on to the liver and kidneys.

"Damn, she must be hungry," Emmett chuckled when Bella moved onto the hind quarters, stripping the meat from the dead creature's thighs.

Jasper grinned. "Sure looks that way."

The conversation was evidently uninteresting to Bella, who continued to tear at her kill without paying my brothers any attention. An enraged shriek suddenly shattered the serene atmosphere, however, instantly thrusting Bella into a state of alertness. She jolted at the noise, spinning to face the source, her body ducking reflexively into a defensive crouch.

Alice stared back at her with a mask of sheer horror, causing panic to stir deep in my chest. I immediately flung myself into her mind, searching for the reason for her outburst. When I realised precisely how ridiculous she was being, the urge to roll my eyes was far too strong to resist.

"Alice," I groaned, holding my ground as my sister turned to me with a frosty glare. Her lips were pinched at the corners, a sign of her rage.

"Don't 'Alice' me, Edward!" she huffed, her hands flying to her hips. "I've worked much too hard to have your fiancée ruin things for me now!"

I'm sure the disbelief was clear on my face. My eyebrows must have shot half way up my forehead as I absorbed the psychic's audacious remark. "Ruin things for _you_? Alice, it isn't even your wedding!"

She waved me off as if this was completely irrelevant. "If you think I'm going to let Bella look anything less than perfect, you're insane. I can't have everyone thinking I'm losing my touch. This is important to me, Edward!"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose and clenching my eyes in an attempt to block out my annoying little sister. Alice didn't enlighten our family as to the cause of her sudden displeasure, so when I finally opened my eyes, I was met with six pairs of confused stares, Bella's included.

_Why? _she asked, her head tilting to the side.

I frowned, running a hand through my untameable hair. "It's just Alice being her irritating self," I explained, thus earning a delicate grunt from said pain in my neck. "She's concerned about your dress fitting. Apparently, if you continue to satisfy your appetite, transforming back into a human will be too uncomfortable, and you'll end up spending the next two and a half days as a lion."

Bella's eyes practically glimmered with amusement. _So?_

Her indifference made it difficult to suppress a smile. "So Alice won't get to use you as her human Barbie."

My sister stomped her foot, bearing her teeth in the process. "Argh! Am I the only one who cares about this wedding? Why does no one seem to understand the process? The process, Edward, the process!"

"But you've already had four fittings Alice," I whined. "Why do you need another?"

"Bah! Perfection!" The others seemed to find some comedy in the fashionista's abrupt tirade, their lips pressing into hard lines, but I personally saw nothing funny in it. Bella appeared to be in agreement, because she looked less than impressed as she stared at her future sister-in-law.

Alice turned from me to focus her attention on the lioness, one foot tapping against the floor, her hands pressed to her hips. After a few seconds, the tapping turned into violent crunching as she ground her purple Louboutins against the pebbles scattering the dusty earth.

_Oh dear, _thought Jasper, listening to the sound made by his wife's pumps. _That's not good._

My eyes flicked to the empath. "You make it sound like Morse code."

With a smirk, he shrugged. _More or less. Tapping usually indicates irritation, and the speed in between each one reveals the extent of it. It's when they start grinding their heels that you _really _have to worry. That, right there, is a danger signal, my friend. Rosalie does it too._

_Huh. _"I hadn't noticed."

_Obviously. If you had, you'd know that shoe-loving women will only risk damaging their babies when they're seriously pissed._

My gaze drifted fleetingly over my sisters and mother, performing a brief inspection of their current footwear. Rosalie wore red open-toed wedges, while Esme sported emerald kitten heels. I bit my lip when I realised that both pairs were in perfect condition, and moved my attention back to the empath, who nodded his head as if to say 'I told you so'.

I had lived alongside the women long enough that I accepted my brother's explanation. How anyone could get so worked up over material possessions, though, was beyond me. Then, of course, I realised that their adoration for all things Gucci slash Armani slash Jimmy Choo (and so on) wasn't all that different from my love for my car. The Vanquish was _my _baby, and I would personally hang, draw and quarter anyone stupid enough to endanger it. Rosalie had come close once, right after Bella came crashing into our lives. Alice had had a vision of her intentions, and although my car sat safely in the garage, pristine and unscathed, it still hurt to remember the image of my beautiful, curvy Aston Martin maimed and blazing, a column of thick, inky smoke spewing from its engine. With a violent shudder, I pushed the memory aside.

Bella was still staring intently in my direction, completely ignoring Alice in the process. As much as I wanted to spare her from the pain of enduring my sister, the psychic's resolve, to put it lightly, absolutely terrified me. She was a tenacious little thing when it came to clothes, and I wouldn't have been shocked in the slightest to find her stuffing the lioness into a wedding dress as a last resort.

"You'd better turn back," I told Bella with a sigh, "before Alice kills us both."

The lioness released a low yowl, seeming distraught. Clearly, she didn't want to play dress-up.

"Bella," Alice said in warning. A rumble issued from within the witch's chest as she stared with resentment at my sister. Reluctantly, she rose from her hind legs, the tension collecting in her muscles the moment before her transformation.

I could never get tired of watching Bella change her shape. The metamorphosis was beautiful in its fluidity, one form moving freely into another like living origami. In a second it was over. The girl jumped from the skin of the cat, shooting straight to her feet.

She smiled sweetly upon resuming her natural form, her chocolate eyes fixed solely upon me. I froze instantly. Her jaw was smeared with blood, crimson and wet. It was all over her, spattered on her cheeks, and dripping from her chin onto her creamy chest. My eyes worked of their own accord, following the claret trickle disappearing beneath the flimsy cotton of her blouse.

I was gone. Wild. Completely consumed by the image before me! There she stood, dripping blood, and I couldn't look away. God, how I wanted to lick it off her! In the recesses of my conscience, a small voice screamed that my reaction to the image was unacceptable: I was a gentleman for Christ's sake! That sight shouldn't have affected me the way that it did―not at all―but as my eyes travelled over the face of the girl covered in the blood of her kill, I realised that I was … excited. The vampire in me enjoyed it, relished and savoured the image before me. All that pent up sexual frustration, a product of my upbringing, was suddenly begging to be unyoked from my early nineteenth-century morals.

Barely a second had passed since her transformation when Bella's heart flew into overdrive, accelerating from a gentle thud to a heavy pounding. The scent of adrenalin wafted through the air as it surged in her bloodstream. Excitement and fear danced simultaneously in the chocolate pools of her eyes as realisation took hold. Slowly—ever so slowly—her gaze dropped from my face, not stopping until it landed on her willowy hands, both of which were stained crimson.

Her chest heaved as I waited with the others for her reaction.

She looked surprised, as if she couldn't believe that she had been the one to kill the creature laid out beside her. When her eyes caught it in her periphery, she gasped, almost losing her footing as she spun to stare at it.

"Is she going to hurl?" Emmett asked, his voice so low that Bella had no way of hearing it. Alice shook her head in response. Bella shuddered, carefully raising her hand to her mouth as her eyes drifted out of focus.

"Did I really …" I waited for her to continue, but she simply trailed off, giving no indication that she would finish her question. Her gaze flitted back to me, her brow furrowing as she took in my expression. I wasn't sure what she saw there. As much as I tried to control it, I was powerless. Every modicum of concentration was reserved for holding myself in place. That feat was made all the more difficult when her tongue darted out to lick her blood-coated lips. Her reaction was nothing like that of the school girl who had fainted at the sight of a pinprick. I suppose the lioness balanced out that natural fear with the force of her elation.

As I studied the witch, I realised that that was entirely the case. Her expression held such a mixture of emotion that there was no way it couldn't be, for while her sparkling eyes reflected the huntress' delight, everything else screamed vulnerability. She was a vampire's dream.

Part of me felt sickened by my response, because there was no way on earth that anyone at all should take such pleasure in seeing the object of their affections covered in blood. A greater part of me, however, never wanted to forget the image. It appealed to the deepest and darkest of my vampiric desires.

A forced cough from Jasper snapped me from my trance. When I caught the smirk creeping onto his face, evidence of his amusement, I sheepishly averted my eyes.

_That's right, _I thought to myself, _let's all laugh at Edward, one hundred and six going on seventeen. So I'm a late bloomer. Give me a break!_

While my brother found my adolescent reactions funny after decades of celibacy, I had never been so frustrated in all my life. I couldn't allow myself to dwell on that though, not while Bella looked so conflicted; and so I pushed my selfish thoughts to the back of my mind, before slowly advancing upon the girl in question.

With guarded eyes, she watched my approach. Her mind had gone into lock down once again, and while I had no idea of what was going on beneath the surface, I knew it was essential that I keep my movements slow and casual. I didn't want to alarm her, after all.

She flinched as I ripped a strip of fabric from the sleeve of my shirt, and I couldn't help but chuckle at her sudden skittishness. That, at least, seemed to put her a little at ease. Her shoulders relaxed, and a gentle smile crept onto her face.

"Are you all right?"

After a few seconds, she nodded. "I'm not sure what happened back there. I just … I couldn't help it." She brushed her hands through her hair, grimacing when her fingers got caught. Where her mahogany tresses had been sprayed with blood, which was presently congealing from exposure, the stands were now sticky and knotted. Bella sighed. "At least I can empathise now, if only a little."

I smiled sadly. "True. In that way, I suppose this was good practise for you. At least you know now what to expect. What you just experienced won't be all that different to the kind of hunt you'll undertake as a vampire. Instinct takes over to the point where it's almost impossible to stop."

"You're not helping my confidence here," Bella frowned, shifting uncomfortably. I shrugged, not wanting to lie to her. I lifted the rag to her mouth, suppressing my teenage emotions as I ran it along the length of her jaw. Without saying a word, she allowed me to clean away the blood. I felt the weight of her gaze as I concentrated on my task. Her eyes never left my face, even when my hand descended to dab at her collar bone.

I wasn't entirely sure that my family leaving was a wise idea. I was having enough trouble as it was when it came to restraint, so when they silently departed, things got a whole lot worse. My eyes felt as if they'd been injected with lead, because they continued to drift lower and lower, until they finally fell upon the low neckline of her white peasant blouse. The fabric had absorbed the blood oozing down her chest, resulting in angry red stains which would be impossible to remove without magical assistance. Gently, I stroked away the blood from Bella's chest. Her heart immediately flew into overdrive, banging furiously beneath my wandering hands.

It was incredibly satisfying to know the effect I had on her, even now, two and a half years since our first encounter.

"We should get back," I murmured, still unable to lift my eyes. _Control yourself, Edward! What would your mother think? _"Alice will be back for you if we take much longer." _Stop staring at her chest, for Christ's sake!_

My eyes snapped back up to the witch's face. Her cheeks were the colour of strawberries, and her mouth formed a small 'o' as she stared at me with wide eyes. Despite her evident shock, she didn't look offended by my blatant ogling. In fact, as the seconds ticked by, she seemed to grow a little smug, a tiny smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Ahem, shall we be going then?" she asked.

_Yes, before I do something I regret. _I nodded in agreement, before holding my hand out. "We should probably apparate. Alice is impatient."

"Aren't we all?" Bella grumbled. She waved me off when I curiously arched an eyebrow, quickly grabbing my hand, before pulling us both into the blackness.

We appeared on Charlie's doorstep not a second later, immediately greeted by a chorus of cheers coming from the living room, where Bella's father was currently immersed in TV sports with Seth, Billy and Jacob.

"Bella's back!" Seth called. He and the others looked back over their shoulders as we made our way inside. Their casual cheer was quickly interrupted, though, replaced with horror as they took in Bella's dishevelled appearance.

"What the hell happened?" Charlie demanded, bolting from his chair. I cringed as he stomped towards us, realising I should have suggested a shower at my place first. Not together, of course. Although …

_Argh! Get a grip, you filthy pervert! _God, there was something wrong with me. Bella's father was practically having a panic attack right before my eyes, and all I could seem to think about were the sinful things I could do to his daughter.

_In the shower, _a little voice whispered in my head. _On the piano._

I had to get out. I couldn't stay there, not with the sudden direction my thoughts were taking. I had get away—far, far away—where my wanton imaginings could do no harm. Charlie was still waiting for an explanation, but I wasn't the one he'd be hearing it from.

"I, um, I just remembered I, er, have stuff to do," I babbled, earning the attention of Bella, who had a crease forming between her eyes. She looked like she barely recognised me, as if I'd grown a second nose or something.

"Edward, are you alright?"

_No, I'm not! _"Absolutely, never better! Except I'm starving," I added, in a rubbish attempt to conjure an excuse.

"But you're eyes are gold. They're nowhere near black yet."

_Nice one, Edward. You total imbecile. _"I know, but watching you take down that elk gave me an appetite." _Decent save at least._

Charlie's eyes bugged in their sockets.

_Bella went hunting, _Seth realised, his face lighting up like a Christmas tree. Understanding hit Jacob in the same moment. He didn't say anything, but he made a quick study of Bella's appearance, taking in her bloody shirt and matted hair.

"What is going on, Bella?" Charlie demanded.

"Uh? Oh, nothing. I just went hunting with the Cullens, that's all. I was practising and I took down an elk. No biggie." After she waved her father off, who gawked openly at her blasé attitude, Bella turned back to me. Before she could ask me again if there was something the matter with me, I hastily crushed my lips to hers, pulling back almost instantly, before bidding her farewell and spinning for the door.

At no point did I turn to check her reaction, but I imagine it somewhat resembled her father's. I cursed myself the whole way home, muttering words under my breath that I rarely permitted myself to speak; 'idiot' and 'moron' were the tamest of the lot.

Only Emmett and Jasper were at home when I stormed through the front door. Their thoughts told me they were waiting for me at Alice's request. Apparently, I needed some 'man time', whatever the hell that meant. Emmett was perched on the bottom step of the staircase, a massive grin pasted across his irritating face, while Jasper stood smugly to the side, his posture more relaxed than was normal for him.

I stomped past them, heading straight for my piano. Of course, I then remembered the idea I'd had earlier, about Bella being sprawled out on top of it, and that made me even angrier. Impassioned chords and black notes blared through the room as I slammed my fingers down onto the keys, translating my frustration into sound for all to hear: Chopin – Polanaise in C minor Op 40 No. 2 to be specific, though I'd been sorely tempted by Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. It certainly would have been fitting.

Unfortunately, the instrument didn't block out Emmett's booming laughter. I threw him a scathing glance, hoping it would wither him, but of course it didn't. Emmett was like the sun: I could glare at him for as long as I pleased, but he'd keep on shining regardless.

"You've never been this bad," Jasper concluded, measuring my emotions. My hands fell from the keys, dropping to my sides. A loud groan echoed up my throat as my head fell against the piano, resulting in a discordant protest.

"I feel like a pubescent, high school degenerate."

"'Bout time," Emmett chuckled. "That's one more thing we have in common."

I rolled my eyes. "Great."

"Come on," said Jasper, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Let's go unwind."

With a sigh, I relented, rising from the bench, before following my brothers out of the house. We flew through the forest after clearing the river, running for almost an hour. It was exactly what I needed though, and I felt the tension slip from my body with every stride I took, but I was still distracted, completely lost in my own thoughts. It was for that reason that Emmett came closer to flooring me than ever before.

We had just reached Mount Rainier, passing into a dewy glade dominated by a large pond, when he whirled blindingly fast on the spot, and dived at me. I yelled in surprise and threw out my arms, grabbing hold of his limbs as he flew, before swinging him left, right into the trunk of a nearby hemlock, which snapped instantly under the pressure, forcing dirt and dust particles into the air as it hit the ground.

"What the hell, Emmett?"

My brother laughed, climbing back to his feet. "Just trying to help you relieve some stress, Edward. I know Bella could probably do it better than us, but until you say 'I do', I guess me and Jazz will have to suffice. Basically, for the next five days, we're at your service!"

With a frown, I crossed my arms. "And how exactly do you intend to help me?"

Jasper shrugged. "Alice suggested male bonding. I'm assuming she means wrestling, hunting and showering you with invaluable advice."

"Advice about what?" I asked, knowing I'd probably regret doing so. I was right.

"Advice about how to please your woman, man," Emmett chortled. "We have years of experience at your disposal. All you have to do is ask."

At Emmett's announcement, I gawked. There was no other word for it. I gawked. An awkward silence settled in the clearing we'd stopped in. Luckily, Jasper was there to diffuse the tension. He soaked it up like a sponge, until the atmosphere was considerably lighter.

I slumped to the ground, using my arms as pillows as I settled onto my back. My brothers did the same, Emmett on my left and Jasper on my right. Together, we stared up at the murky sky, which was rolling with layers and layers of bulging grey clouds. All in all, it contributed to rather oppressive atmosphere. The air was thick and heavy, muggy even by Fork's standards, not that it really bothered me or my brothers. The light, too, was weak at best, the sun's rays unable to sufficiently penetrate the grim blanket. It didn't matter that nightfall was at least five hours away, not when the skies were so intent on stealing the daylight.

"Sooooo." Emmett.

Cough. Jasper.

I sighed. "All right, tell me."

"Tell you what?" pressed the empath.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I have no idea what I'm even supposed to ask."

My brothers waited patiently while I arranged my thoughts. During our meeting with the sphinx, we had discovered that Bella would make it through the honeymoon. That knowledge was one of the primary factors in my dwindling restraint. The only thing that kept me from throwing everything to the winds now was the promise of Renesmee. I had to time everything perfectly, or I might never know the daughter I already loved. Before we could even get to that stage, however, I first had to ensure Bella's safety. Just because I knew I wouldn't kill her, there was nothing to stop me from accidentally injuring her. On top of that, how could I ensure that she would enjoy it?

What if I turned out to be no better than the countless boys I had encountered in my lifetime, most of whom laboured under the false impression that they were gods between the sheets? In reality, the thoughts of their conquests revealed entirely the opposite. If there was anything I had learnt from the inane internal chattering of adolescent minds, it was that women were usually left wanting in their early sexual encounters. The men they bedded had absolutely no idea of what they needed―of where or how to touch them. Most teenage boys thought that girls were like light-bulbs, with one switch that could be triggered almost instantly. Despite their clumsy, inexperienced hands, those boys were convinced of one thing if nothing else: their unfaltering sexual prowess. Some mistakenly believed that their entire lives without ever undergoing improvement, never realising that their partners gave them Oscar worthy performances in every intimate exchange.

The irony of my circumstances hit me all at once, leaving me to bark out my sudden laughter. My brothers stared at me with raised eyebrows, evidently awaiting an explanation.

"Isn't it typical? Here I am, perhaps more equipped than any other man on earth to give a woman exactly what she desires, and fate pairs me with Bella, the one girl I want, but can't hear."

Emmett chuckled. "That's usually how it goes. You're right though: if Bella weren't a mental mute, you could be like Mel Gibson in that movie with Helen Hunt. Instead, you'll be fumbling in the dark like any other guy."

"Not necessarily," Jasper disagreed. He chewed thoughtfully at his lip while I threw him a puzzled frown. _There's nothing to stop Bella from lowering her shield. Have you two ever even talked about it?_

"Are you kidding me, Jazz? It's hard enough to get Bella to open up at the best of times. How on earth would I convince her to let me in during _that_?"

"He has a point though," Emmett mused, easily following the exchange. "If you haven't talked about it already, you should do. You don't have long before the wedding. You should plant the idea soon while Bella still has time to think on it. The worst that can happen is she says no; the best that can happen is she agrees and the two of you have mind-blowing sex."

Somehow, I managed to suppress the urge to fidget. Discussing this topic with my brothers wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world, but they seemed completely unaffected. At the first sign of my discomfort, Jasper used his gift to help me relax.

"Em's right," he said. "On top of all that, you'd know when you were hurting her. If you tell Bella it would put your mind at ease, I'm sure she'd consider it. She wants you to enjoy it as much as you do her, after all. You'll just have to be persuasive."

I bit my lip, but conceded swiftly. They had a point. I would talk to her about it tonight. "Alright," I nodded, "but let's say she says no. That's going to make things far more difficult. Knowing Bella, she'll put on a brave face and won't tell me when I'm doing something wrong."

Emmett released a heavy sigh, before turning his head to look at me. It never ceased to surprise me how he could act like a complete child one minute, and then switch entirely in the next. Despite his nature, he could be mature when the occasion called for it, and when that happened, there was wisdom painted across his countenance as clear as that belonging to Jasper or Carlisle.

"Look, Edward, either way, you're still going to have to hurt her. You know the mechanics as much as the next person. It will be painful for her at first, and there's nothing you can do to change that. The only thing you can do is try to alleviate it as much as possible."

_I preferred it when you were acting like a child, _I decided, not liking his logic, however accurate or sound I knew it to be. Still, I couldn't deny the truth of his words, so I asked him to elaborate.

A wide grin spread across his face, until it was practically touching his eyes on either side, both of which held a wicked gleam. He leaned in, as if to convey something of great import, and winked. "Foreplay."

I blinked dumbly. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me," he chuckled, shifting away again. "Foreplay."

In the ensuing moments, I could feel my mouth trying to form a reply, but all I seemed to be able to manage were a few incoherent splutters. Emmett threw back his head and laughed, amused by my astounded reaction. After aiming a playful punch to my shoulder, he shook his head and said, "Come on, Edward. It's not rocket science. It's just a case of pre-heating the oven."

He seemed unfazed by the disparaging glare that last comment earned.

"What our cave-man of a brother means," Jasper inserted, "is that you need Bella to be comfortable first. Basically, if you include enough heavy petting, by the time you get into _really _deep water, she'll have relaxed enough that it won't hurt her as much. At least, that's the theory."

I fixed my stare determinedly on the bulging woolpack above while my brothers continued to shower me with advice. I didn't particularly want to hear about the tricks they'd learnt over the years, since I had no desire to imagine my sisters in any of the scenarios they painted, but I held my tongue regardless. I envied the clouds, which were quickly rolling eastward, wishing all the while that they would take me with them―anything to avoid this painful discussion.

It was a relief to finally escape. When our 'man-time' came to an end, I darted swiftly back to the house and jumped straight into the Volvo. Carlisle wanted to have his own discussion with me before the wedding, but it would have to wait until later.

Alice was just exiting the Swan house when I arrived, a large black clothes bag dangling from her left index finger, and a brown Gucci duffle bag gripped in her right hand.

"Hi Edward," was all she said as she sashayed past me. My sister, though probably not oblivious, ignored the scowl I directed at her as she hopped into her canary-yellow vehicle. The talk had put me in a black mood, and there was only one person who would be able to bring me out of it. With that in mind, I turned away from Alice, who quickly sped away with a thunderous rev of her 3.6 litre, twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder engine.

Renee had already arrived it seemed, after having been transported via the Floo network. I heard her thoughts before she answered the door, and barely managed to suppress a groan at their content.

"I swear I didn't tell her, Edward," Charlie huffed from over the shoulder of his ex-wife, who was grinning at me like a mad woman. "She just knew somehow."

"It's alright, Charlie," I sighed, gripping my hair by the roots. Could this day get any more stressful?

Renee was practically bouncing on the spot, clapping her hands with more enthusiasm than a child in a toyshop. "I knew it! I knew I was right! You're a vampire, aren't you? As if my daughter would settle for ordinary!"

"What's wrong with ordinary?" Charlie grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Oh, hush," Bella's mother chided him, before shooting behind me to usher me inside. I was going to kill Alice when I next saw her. She could have at least warned me! Bella was sitting with her head in her hands when we entered the living room. After sensing our arrival, she turned her eyes in my direction, smiling without humour in obvious apology. Renee, meanwhile, circled me like a vulture, her recent discovery giving way to a lengthy inspection.

_Of course he isn't human. Of course not. How I ever believed that I'll never know._

"Mom, stop intimidating my fiancé. It's rude to stare."

Renee laughed, but stopped her movements. "How does one intimidate a vampire? Be serious, Bella."

"I am," complained the witch. "Vampire or not, any male is frightened of their mother-in-law. It's an unwritten rule of the universe or something."

Charlie snorted, before slumping down onto the couch. "You got that right."

Renee rolled her eyes, and waved off her daughter's warning. "I'm not his mother-in-law yet, so what's to be frightened of?"

_Mother-in-law or not, you're terrifying. _I wondered then what had happened to turn me into a coward.

Renee turned back to me, her head cocked to the side as she finished her appraisal. "I actually thought vampires would be scarier, but you're not so bad."

"Um … thanks." _I think._ "How did you find out?"

She shrugged, folding her arms over her plaid blouse. "I like to rifle through Bella's old textbooks―the one's from her early school years. There was never enough room in her trunk for all of them. Those she didn't take with her got left behind."

"So you found something that made you think of me," I concluded.

"Pretty much," nodded Renee, a triumphant smile brightening her face. "There were things that didn't really fit, like your eye-colour for example. I assumed before Charlie and Bella explained about your diet that you don't eat people. I guess I was right."

"I guess you were."

"It was something Charlie mentioned that really got my interest though." This was news to the man in question it seemed, who suddenly perked up in his seat, his brow creasing with apprehension. "It was a few months before I read up on vampires. He was furious after finding out about Bella, and called to yell at me for not telling him about her being a witch. He said that you knew before he did, even though you yourself are not a wizard. Naturally, when he next mentioned the fact that you were attending Hogwarts, I was suspicious."

For the briefest moment, Charlie seemed confused, unable to connect the dots. His head fell forwards with a groan when it finally hit him: Hogwarts would not admit Muggles. If I wasn't a wizard, as he had revealed, I was clearly something else.

"Sorry, Edward."

I exhaled deeply, but shook my head. "Don't worry about it. It's better that she knows, and I couldn't have told her myself. It's forbidden."

Bella came to stand beside me, lacing her fingers through mine. Yes, it was better this way. At least now that everything was out in the open, we wouldn't have to lie anymore.

Renee was much more receptive to the idea of my being immortal than Charlie had been. She didn't see a problem with it, reiterating what she had said to Bella after discovering our engagement. She firmly believed that what didn't work for one person might very well work for another, and while she herself would not choose the life Bella had selected for herself, she also acknowledged that she and her daughter shared very little in common. As long as Bella was convinced she would be happy, Renee would be too. Actually, she was positively jubilant, and locked us both in a fierce embrace when all was said and done. At the very back of her mind, of course, the maternal urge to protect flickered behind the thick excitement. Her faith in her old-soul daughter, though, was enough to overpower it, and she concluded that Bella's choices were her own.

I helped Bella in the kitchen while Charlie watched TV. Renee contented herself with observing after Bella reminded her of past culinary disasters. We made chicken stir-fry, which smelled disgusting to me, but was enough to lure Charlie away from baseball. Bella's mother marvelled at my ability to chop onions without crying, and wished aloud for her own vampire chef.

After dinner, my family showed up on Charlie's doorstep, all dressed in baseball gear. Bella's father practically squealed with excitement, and bolted for the phone in an instant, before placing a call to Seth, who sounded equally as excited on the other end. Jacob was invited too, but he didn't sound quite as enthusiastic. Nevertheless, he appeared outside the house not long afterwards, bare-chested from his run.

Bella transported us two by two. Charlie didn't look as green this time around, probably because he was still too excited at the prospect of supernatural sport. He'd come prepared with a waterproof anorak, three large blankets, beer, popcorn and potato chips. He settled himself down to the right of the pitch, laying one blanket over the top of the other to stop the earth's moisture from seeping through. After Bella cast a spell to shield the humans from the rain, they each sat down to enjoy the match.

Once again, I had Alice and Carlisle on my team, leaving Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper as our rivals. We played a fierce game, often committing sly fouls in an attempt to secure more points. Not that Esme let us get away with it, of course.

Charlie whooped and cheered the whole way through, pouncing to his feet at one point to scream Alice to victory through a mouthful of half-masticated Doritos, after her defending husband tried to prevent a homerun. Owing to my speed, I managed to score a few myself, but I wasn't as focused as I normally would have been, and that was mostly down to Jacob.

More than once, I caught him staring wistfully at Bella. He remembered his promise to be good, but found it harder to keep it the longer he sat beside her. At one point, a low growl rippled up my chest, my eyes narrowing to slits as I watched him watch her. When that happened, without looking at me, he tore his eyes away from her. For some reason, the whole thing left Bella's father lightly tittering to himself.

The thunder clattered overhead as I battled it out with my father and siblings. In the end, we won by three points, much to the delight of Bella, Charlie and Renee. Seth didn't care about who earned the victory; he was just happy to be present.

Whatever the final score, the most important thing was that I scored a few extra points with Charlie. In his mind, I heard him think _'Ha! My son-in-law is better than every player in the World Series. I am officially appeased.'_

I may have executed a fist pump the next time he turned away.

That night, after Renee hit the Floo, I snuck into Bella's bedroom, where I waited for her to finish her shower. Talto hooted in concern from the window sill as I paced around her room, grabbing at my hair.

"Don't worry about me. It's nothing." The owl clearly didn't believe me, for he fluttered onto my shoulder to nip gently at my ear in an effort to cheer me up. Despite my nerves, the bird's attention did encourage me. I held out my hand for him, and he gladly hopped onto it, allowing me to stroke his breast feathers as I wandered over to the bed. "Not long now, Talto. Soon I'll be a married man. First the wedding, then the honeymoon …"

Perhaps I imagined it, but I swear he smirked at that. Either way, he certainly performed his victory shuffle, hopping from foot to foot as he danced along my forearm.

_My god, Bella's owl is a pimp._

Ilaughed aloud, though not loud enough to alert Charlie.

"What's so funny?" asked Bella, who appeared in the doorway in her holey sweats a moment later, her dripping hair cascading over her shoulders like a dark waterfall. She quietly shut the door, thus preventing the hallway light from penetrating her room.

"This little fella," I grinned, holding up my arm. The owl took that as an opportunity to leave. After flying over to his owner, and rubbing her ear affectionately with his beak, he flew away into the mild August air, ready to commence his nightly hunt.

The weather was perfect for him. The evening's thunder had swept away the overhanging cloud, dragging it away into the east, leaving a clear expanse of inky sky, punctured here and there with precious pinholes of light, which twinkled perpetually like indestructible jewels in the vast arms of the mysterious night.

I wrapped Bella's quilt around her tightly as she settled down onto the bed. Soon enough, there would be no barrier between us, and not so far into the future, she would no longer need protection against my icy skin. Soon, very soon, she would be like me.

"Bella," I said, as she laid her head on my shoulder, "there's something I need to ask you." At my words, she tensed immediately. In a bid to soothe her, I carefully ran my fingers through her long, damp tresses, starting at the roots, before working my way to the tips.

"What is it?"

"Nothing serious," I promised. "I just … I just had an idea about the honeymoon." Not true of course. It had been Jasper's idea, not mine.

Bella frowned, propping herself up on her elbow. "You're not having second thoughts, are you? Because I―"

"No, it's nothing like that. Not at all," I insisted.

"Then what?"

I sighed. How to phrase it? "Bella, believe me, I'm not backing out. I want this as much as you do, really, but …"

"But you're afraid you'll hurt me," huffed my fiancée. She probably thought I was lying about keeping my promise in an effort to let her down gently. My chest tightened a little when she turned to face the wall. "I can't believe you, Edward. You know I want this. You promised, and you're still going to―"

"I'm still going to keep it, like I said I would." I waited for a response, but when Bella gave me no reply, I realised I would have to do exactly what my brothers had suggested: be persuasive. How, though?

Her heart thudded in her chest. She turned her head to look back over her shoulder, but her eyes were hard and guarded. She obviously didn't believe me. I made a decision then, the kind I should think twice about. Had I not been desperately trying to prevent this very behaviour earlier on? I really was all over the place these days.

Bella gasped as I slipped my hand under the covers, clearly failing to anticipate the unlikely move. Like a snake, my arm slipped over her pelvis, not stopping until it found her left hipbone. With my thumb, I stroked it slowly, before tucking it under to ease her onto her back. I shifted my weight, moving until I hovered directly above her. When she was staring up at me, helpless like a mouse under the gaze of a predator, I made my move. My hand travelled upwards, away from her hips, under her t-shirt and over the silken flesh of her stomach, until it reached the cotton edge of her upper under-garments.

I still remembered what it felt like the last time I'd touched her there―the time my vision had been clouded by the cloying effects of Romilda's love potion. Whether I'd been in my right mind or not was irrelevant. The point was I remembered. This was not unexplored territory. My hands had roamed this part of her before, the only difference being that then I hadn't been in my right mind. Now, of course, I was.

"Bella," I breathed, plucking at the edge of her bra, "do you really believe I have _that _much self-control?" I laughed throatily as her eyelids fluttered shut, her heart flying into overdrive. I could feel it pulsing as my fingers stroked the simple fabric covering her chest, which rose and fell in a swift, breathless rhythm. I shook my head, chuckling again, this time without humour. "Silly girl."

And then there was nothing to separate me from her. My hands were on her in an instant, while I crushed my lips to hers, silencing her prolonged gasp of surprise. Once upon a time, Bella had used her charms to achieve her own ends. Now, I would exercise mine.

She sighed into my mouth as my tongue darted across her lower lip, her back arching off the bed. The effect was that she pressed herself more firmly against my hand, thus fuelling our mutual desire for one another.

I moaned against her lips as she wrapped her legs around my waist.

"Please, Edward."

And with that, realising she was exactly where I wanted her, I slowly pulled away, though only slightly. My body still hovered above hers, and my fingers were still dangerously close to her skin. The need was plain on her face as she peered up at me through lazy eyes, her lips parted in anticipation.

I smiled. "Not until the honeymoon, love. This is as far as we go tonight."

Her brow furrowed with disappointment as her lusty eyes landed on her chest. "Then why―"

"Negotiations," I interjected hastily, grazing the edge of her breast once more. Her pupils expanded so much that there was barely any trace of the warm brown I had come to know so well. Yes, this might just work after all, sly and devious though it may be. "Bella, I want to negotiate with you."

Her mouth formed a small 'o'. "Negotiate what?"

"Your shield," I clarified, tightening my grip on her waist.

Her brow furrowed in puzzlement. "What about it?"

"I don't want you to use it, not the first time anyway. I want to be inside you completely. I want to know everything." At first, the witch stared at me in confusion, her eyes clouded with the remnants of her lust; then, as understanding set in, horror swept her features.

"Edward, no!"

"Please, Bella. Please."

"I can't." she protested. "You can't ask that."

"Why not?"

"Because! I just …" She trailed off, her hands moving to cover her eyes as she released a frustrated groan.

_I knew this would happen. It was inevitable. _Nevertheless, a small voice in my head urged me to plead my case, and so I did. Bella groaned again as I explained my reasons for the request. I told her, as my brothers had suggested, that it would help to put my mind at ease. I told her that I wanted us both to enjoy one another as much as possible, but that that would be less easy for me if I was constantly worrying about damaging her.

"Please, Bella," I whispered again, playing on her guilt. Damn, I should be ashamed. "Please do this for me."

She had yet to remove her hands from her eyes, instead continuing to hold them there while she deliberated. Eventually, after what seemed like hours, her arms dropped back down to her sides.

"Can I think about it?" she asked finally.

I nodded, relieved. "Of course."

I gazed into her eyes a moment longer, my hand reaching up to once again stroke the damp hair of her crown. After a few seconds of my lazy caressing, her eyes turned mischievous.

"And you say I'm dangerous."

"You are, incredibly so."

"You're worse. I only got as far as your top button, and here you are, willing to seduce me just to get your way."

With a mischievous smirk, I shrugged. "Vampire, remember? Immoral is my middle name."

"You should be immoral more often," Bella argued, returning my smug expression. "I rather enjoyed it."

"Naturally, but you're overestimating my self-control again, Bella. If I go too far, I know I won't be able to stop."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Are you kidding me? We've resisted all this time, and you think it wouldn't bother me if we fell at the final hurdle." I chuckled darkly and shook my head. "That would make this past year's suffering a pointless exercise."

Bella frowned as I lowered myself back down onto the bed, wearing a look of incredulousness as she stared at me. "Edward, you're the very definition of self-control. How could you possibly understand the sufferings of us poor hormone-riddled humans?"

At that, I very nearly barked out a laugh, which would have certainly alerted Bella's father. "You really have no idea, do you? If you could hear _my _thoughts, Bella, you'd realise just how filthy an old man I actually am."

She scoffed immediately.

"It's true. Take today, for example. Why do you think I bolted so quickly from your house?" Her eyes grew large at my words. I sniggered as her mouth fell open in disbelief, before lacing my fingers through the hand resting by her head on the pillow. "It was the hunt that set me off. God help me when you're actually a vampire."

While Bella absorbed my abrupt revelation, there was absolute silence. Finally, however, she seemed to locate her tongue, and said, "Wow."

I grinned up at the ceiling, before pulling her into the crook of my arm. "Is that all you have to say?"

She laughed lightly. "Pretty much. Sometimes I can believe that there's stuff going on beneath the surface that I don't know about, but you're so good at disguising it that I always end up thinking I've imagined it."

"You're too naïve, Bella."

"No, you're just too good an actor," she countered, prodding my chest roughly with her finger, not that it hurt of course.

"Today would indicate otherwise," I argued, much to her amusement. An impish grin tugged at her lips and she shook her head, giggling under her breath.

"So you're not having second thoughts then?"

"Not at all."

"But you want to be inside my head when we …" The suggestion was there as she trailed off. My eyes came unglued from the ceiling, and I turned to look at her. Blood had flooded her cheeks, and even in the shadows of her room, her blush was obvious.

"Yes, I do. It would give me great peace of mind," I finished, my eyes boring into hers.

She nodded, nervously chewing the inside of her mouth. "Then I'll definitely think about it."

At her promise, I smiled and gratefully lifted our entwined hands to my mouth, where I placed feather-light kisses on each of her knuckles.

Following that, our conversation switched to other topics. Warmth emanated from Bella's eyes as we discussed the possibilities for our future. The fact that Renee and Charlie could now be a part of it caused her great joy, and I in turn was happy that she would be too in our new life together. What made me all the more excited for the future was the knowledge that I would not be stealing her potential for motherhood. Of course, I still had no idea whether Bella would want a child of her own: I couldn't exactly discuss it with her, bound as I was. I therefore took the opportunity when it arose to slot the subject into our conversation.

We had been discussing the ominous subject of immortal children. Bella had asked about the Denalis, and talk had progressed from there. She shuddered at the idea of converting a child, for which I didn't blame her. The very idea was deplorable. What had ever led Sasha to commit such a heinous offence, I would never be able to understand.

My hand drifted back and forth over Bella's stomach as I stared vacantly ahead. "If I were a human like you, would you have wanted children?"

Bella flinched, withdrawing quickly, as if she'd been burnt. "What?"

I tried to appear as if my question had been a product of mere curiosity. Bella knew that I had once been prone to guilt. I don't think she realised that those days were over. Ever since I'd discovered my soul and my ability to father a child, any lingering self-loathing had fizzled away. There were still a few things I felt guilty about of course, but the sins I'd committed as a young vampire were over and done with. That was a different Edward, from another time altogether.

"Would you have wanted children … with me? Did you ever picture yourself as a mother?"

Bella grimaced, her eyes never leaving mine. "Why'd you ask?"

I shrugged. "Just curious."

"I don't see why it matters," she muttered.

"It doesn't," I lied. "I just wondered."

Bella stared at me for a moment longer through narrowed eyes. Finally, she closed them, sucking in a deep breath, before exhaling noisily. "I suppose … if we had both been human, that might have been on the cards for us eventually." When I failed to respond, she sighed again, and raked a hand through her long tangled hair. "I was never the maternal type, Edward. I got playing the parent out of my system while I was growing up with Renee. Babies never held much appeal for me if I'm being completely honest."

My heart dropped.

"They were always just … messy, noisy little things to me," she admitted with a wry smile. I gulped, my stomach clenching with a newly awakened sickness. I couldn't even breathe. Whenever I tried, the air got stuck in my throat, probably a result of the lump I was trying to swallow.

What if she didn't want Renesmee? What would I do then?

The smile fell from Bella's face as apprehension replaced it. I hadn't spoken aloud had I? She shook her head then, almost as if she'd heard the thoughts blazing through my mind.

"I suppose it would have been different if it had been with you," she murmured, to which I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

She gave a casual shrug, before flashing me a sad smile. "How could I not love anything that was half you?"

_Thank God for that! _Fire ripped through my chest at her words, incinerating the icy, debilitating fears until there was nothing left but the healing heat. I could feel it in every fibre of tissue, especially those making up my heart. The inactive muscle now reminded me of a hot-air balloon over a flame, expanding until it would surely pull me up into the air. I wound my fingers back through Bella's, pulling her closer. "Really?"

She nodded, but didn't smile. "I think we would have had beautiful babies. They'd have to be with genes like yours." I grinned as she propped her chin on my shoulder. "You know it's true."

"Maybe," I smirked, "but I think we'd need your genes too to create the perfect combination. A baby with your eyes could melt even the hardest of hearts."

Bella scoffed. "No, it would have to be all your features exactly. Green eyes and everything."

"That would be far too weird," I grimaced. Bella laughed.

"Yeah, I guess. Especially on a girl."

"You don't think I'd make a pretty girl?" I teased. At that, we both giggled. Bella swatted me on the arm, before shuffling closer to press her lips to mine. Then she settled down, draping an arm over my chest as she prepared for sleep.

Eventually, dreams took her. The moonlight filtered in through breaks in the clouds, giving higher definition to her high cheekbones and the soft ridges of her heart-shaped face. Meanwhile, I was silently rejoicing. As vague as her ideas on children might be, she had admitted that it would be impossible for her not to love any baby we created together. That was enough for me, and I found myself thanking my lucky stars for giving me Bella. I had waited a long time for her―for us―but if I'd known back then what I did now, I would have waited a hell of a lot longer.

Time travelled sluggishly over the next few days. I felt like a little boy waiting for Christmas morning: nothing could distract me for long enough. Spending time with Bella would have helped, but Alice and Rosalie pulled her away for various preparatory activities.

At one point, Rose went so far as to kick us men from the house. In Emmett's case, that was meant literally. He was desperate to discover the confidential activities reserved for bachelorette parties, or 'hen–dos' as Ginny and Hermione liked to call them. Bella's British girlfriends were all present for her farewell to life as a single woman. They arrived promptly through the Floo two days before the wedding, and much to my brother's dismay, we were barred from being within a ten mile radius of the house while the girly festivities were underway.

Carlisle used the opportunity to have his own little talk with me. It was brief, which was something to be thankful for, and he didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. Instead, he professed his faith in me, and told me that he knew I would keep Bella safe.

I spent the hours afterwards listening to Emmett's theories about the small little packages the 'hens' had arrived with, most of which had been wrapped with ribbon ties.

"It's lingerie, man. It's always lingerie."

"You don't know that," I retorted. "You've never been to a bachelorette party before."

"Of course I haven't, but I know people who have, and I'm telling you, girls love buying panties for one another. It's a fact!"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

"I have to agree with Emmett," Jasper grimaced, as if this hurt him somehow. I gaped at him.

"Told you, man! It's the truth."

I stared incredulously at the empath. "How would you know?"

"I don't," he shrugged, "but I _do _know Alice. She's packing Bella's case, so you should probably anticipate the works."

I gulped. "Meaning?"

"Meaning expect an array of interesting items. I'm talking ruffles, lace, see-through fabric, a negligée here and there, maybe even a …"

"Alright, I get it!" I exclaimed quickly, holding up my hands. "Can we please change the subject?"

My brothers sniggered, but let it drop.

By the blush on Bella's face when I saw her again that night, they had been deadly serious. Her red complexion didn't fade for hours and, like Emmett, I was suddenly very curious. Still, I didn't pry. My fiancée was already flushed enough.

The girls weren't the only ones who had planned a party either. My brothers arrived at Bella's room the night before the wedding, threatening to come in after me if I didn't exit the building. Jasper promised my soon-to-be wife that a vampire bachelor party involved nothing more than a few mountain lions, and idiot that I was, I'd believed him.

But they'd lied. My brothers, the good for nothing scoundrels, had lied not just to Bella, but to me also. It was not just an ordinary hunting trip, oh no! Sure, there were lions and grizzlies to be had, but never―not once―had anyone mentioned _anything _about pink feather boas or L-plates. We'd travelled no more than three miles from Bella's house when the ambush occurred.

"No!" I protested, the moment I caught the direction of their thoughts.

Emmett giggled. "Yes!"

Jasper leered at me, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he brandished a terrifying tangle of feathers the colour of cotton candy.

"Jazz, I'm warning you. Don't come near me with that. You stay away!"

He cackled in response. "Wait until you see the t-shirts."

And then they pounced at me. I won't lie: I squealed―squealed like a terrified schoolgirl as I bolted through the forest in a desperate attempt to escape; but it was not to be, it seemed, for fate was conspiring against me. Just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse, another feathered fiend came swooping down from the mossy boughs.

It was Talto, who up until now, had been a trusty ally, regularly humiliating the Wolves for our mutual amusement. As he dived towards me, however, a feather boa identical to Jasper's trapped in his beak, mutiny was written all over his face. With a shriek of alarm, I immediately and foolishly performed a u-turn, ploughing smack-bang into my conniving brothers as result.

However frantic my efforts to throw them off, resistance was futile. I was like the unsuspecting bull in Bella's hunt―doomed. With the behemoth clutching one arm, and the empath gripping the other, I ended my struggling. Bella's owl seemed to smile as he descended upon me. I couldn't stand the smug little look he wore, and so I closed my eyes, determined to hold back the grimace threatening my countenance. If this was to be my fate, I would accept it manfully.

To my left, Emmett chuckled as Talto landed on my crown. He began shuffling in a clockwise motion, treating my neck as if it were a Christmas tree in need of tinsel. I could tell he was trying to be careful with his talons. The delicate treatment, while unnecessary, put me at ease a little, reminding me that he would never truly wish me harm, regardless of how much he enjoyed my current humiliation. After that realisation, I relaxed considerably.

With the pink monstrosity securely strewn about my neck, my brothers released me. Talto, meanwhile, hopped to a nearby branch, after which I shook my head at him in mock disappointment.

"Traitor."

The owl hooted, evidently satisfied with the playful betrayal.

I turned back to my brothers to find Emmett rooting through his backpack. Dread pooled in my stomach as he pulled out three cotton shirts, one black and two white. The black one he handed to me, grinning like a crocodile when I reluctantly accepted it. While folded, the garment seemed relatively unoffending, but I knew my brothers too well to believe that that would actually be the case. Their minds, unfortunately, revealed nothing. Jasper was currently recalling 'The Catalogue of Ships' from Homer's _The Iliad_ in its original Greek, and Emmett had some song by a British comedian on loop in his head.

_I was alone. My heart was cold; it was a stone. My soul was lonely like a stone; there was no moss._

_And when I danced I danced alone, but then I did not dance because I was alone, so I did not dance._

_I shuffled through life invisible to alllll happy couples who would mock me with their merry laughter: ha ha ha._

_The only sound I heard in my lonely, silent world was the rusty hammer of my heart nailing at the hatred in my soul._

_But then you came …_

Normally, I might have allowed a chuckle for Emmett's attempts at humour, but the likelihood of that was slim this time around after the asinine vampire revealed that the intro to Bill Bailey's 'Love Ballad' reminded him of me. I had a good mind to strangle him with his rotten feathers, but I pushed that thought aside before I could seriously tempt myself.

With a heavy sigh, I unfurled the t-shirt. The moment my eyes took in the letters printed on the front, I threw back my head and howled with laughter.

"Dead man walking?" I asked once the general cackling had subsided. Both vampires looked incredibly proud of themselves. "Really?"

"Of course," Jasper answered, as if this should have been obvious. "What else?"

I shrugged. "I guess it works in one way."

"More than one," Emmett sighed. "I'm telling you, it's game over, bro. Your freedom has just gone ka-poof. You make one wrong move after tomorrow, and you won't hear the end of it for years. Years!"

"That's a massive exaggeration, Emmett."

"It is not. Rose still hasn't dropped the fact that I totalled her prom dress back in eighty-eight."

Jasper stared at him incredulously. "It was Valentino!"

"God, don't remind me."

"You should be ashamed."

"Jazz," Emmett blurted, slapping the empath upside the head, "you sound like a chick."

Talto hooted in agreement.

"See."

The blond vampire scowled and crossed his arms. "I make a point of getting to know my wife's interests, Emmett. Whenever I show enthusiasm for fashion, I get rewarded."

Emmett arched an eyebrow. Jasper, however, remained tight-lipped, but that didn't stop the obscene flash of images that surged through his mind. I groaned loudly, much to my brother's amusement, who didn't have the decency to even seem apologetic. Instead, he grinned and told me that I had 'all this to look forward to'. Now there was something to think about. If I replaced Jasper and Alice with Bella and me in some of the depraved scenes I'd picked from the empath's mind …

Luckily, Emmett interrupted before my imagination could get the better of me. I did _not _want to start fantasising about maids and nurses and genies and naughty school girls in front of my brothers, especially Jasper, the emotional sponge. I'd already suffered enough embarrassment.

Emmett insisted that Jasper was not painting an accurate picture of marriage, using the Valentino incident as a prime example. In 1988, after yet another high-school prom, Emmett had stupidly lost control of the titanic lust inspired by his mate. After some seriously heavy petting, he'd shredded what Rosalie, Alice and Jasper insisted was a scarlet masterpiece, and had subsequently spent an entire fortnight appeasing his offended lover. She'd punished him severely for his ignorance of high fashion and the reverence it deserved. To regain her favour, the desperate vampire had gone to all sorts of lengths, purchasing the most expensive bouquets and lavishing Rosalie with gifts from Bloomingdales, Tiffany's, not to mention Jaguar. With no outlet for his lust, by day ten of the silent treatment, Emmett had been on the brink of insanity.

"To this day, she won't let me forget it," he grumbled. "All she has to do is hear the word 'Valentino' and I'm in the dog house." I didn't feel the need to inform my brother that Rosalie simply used his past error to manipulate him. She continued to allow her husband to labour under the mistaken impression that she still mourned her beloved Valentino, when, in reality, he had been completely forgiven the moment he'd offered her a replacement dress by Versace. It was an elaborate satin number made with a black mermaid train and adorned with golden lace. That alone, however, had not been enough to completely sway my obstinate sister. The real points had been earned with the hidden detail. In a moment of genius, Emmett had taken up needlework, meaning that his wife's dress came with a unique feature. Along each hem, various phrases had been sewn into the fabric, ranging from 'You're a goddess' and 'I love you dearly' to 'I'm a moron; please forgive me'. His plan worked: in the eyes of his lover, he was completely exonerated. She just failed to mention the 'completely' part, as did the rest of us.

Jasper pursed his lips as he held back his laughter. He glanced briefly in my direction and wondered, _Should we tell him?_

I considered it for a millisecond, before shaking my head. Jasper smirked in clear agreement.

After that discussion passed, my brothers chose to reveal the designs on their own t-shirts, which they'd ordered via the internet. Emmett's read 'Seven words to a happy marriage: 'Yes dear', 'I'm sorry', 'It's my fault.'' Considering his experiences, I wasn't entirely surprised. Jasper's was much more optimistic, but also caused me to execute an eye-roll, owing to my ingrained sensibilities. Below the word 'Honeymoon', there was a picture of a bed with two stick figures sitting side by side. Beneath that, printed in block capitals, was the phrase 'ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED'.

After changing into our bachelor wear, the boys donned their own feather boas, before sticking an L-Plate on my back. All this, apparently, was a suggestion made by Harry, who hinted that it was a traditional part of British Muggle 'Stag dos' to decorate the groom. L-plates, which were normally attached to the cars of learner drivers, were occasionally fixed instead to 'learner husbands' before they got their final certificate.

We documented my last night as a singleton using the automatic setting on Jasper's digital camera. Talto, the consummate poser, landed gracefully on my right shoulder, spreading his wings as far as they would reach as he waited for the flash.

Once that was done, the owl departed, promising that he'd be there for the wedding. I'd worried initially what the Muggles might think of his presence, but considering we'd invited a half-giant, I doubted that he'd occupy their attention for long.

Running across Washington in a pink feather boa felt a little bizarre at first, and I wondered briefly where my prey would die laughing before I got the chance to kill it myself. Of course, that didn't happen, but I could have sworn the lion I crossed, before switching into defence mode, regarded me with mild confusion.

I didn't exactly need to hunt: I wasn't thirsty, but it felt good to give myself over to my senses. Besides, this was the last opportunity I'd have for the next two weeks at least to exercise my vampiric strength to its full capacity, and so, like a starved man, I gorged myself on the blood of my kill, drinking until I was ready to burst.

Emmett took down a bear, while Jasper battled a lion like my own. The latter finished first and joined me on the toppled tree trunk I had found while I'd been waiting for my other brother to finish playing with his food. However ridiculous I appeared with a gaudy feather boa encircling my throat, I surely couldn't have looked worse that Emmett, who, if anything, seemed to enjoy his new apparel.

_My brother … the cross-dresser._

"So why the feathers?" I asked the empath, stroking my latest neck-ware.

_According to Ron, Seamus and Dean, _he revealed, _it's also customary for the men involved in bachelor parties to humiliate themselves as much as possible. We considered stealing all your clothes and tying you to a tree, but since there's no rope out there strong enough to hold you, we ruled it out._

Thank heaven for small mercies. "So should I expect anything else," I pressed as Emmett plunged his teeth into the neck of the snarling grizzly, "or is the fun over?"

Jasper laughed. "Don't look so frightened. Trust me, we have no desire whatsoever to see you naked. Although, we do have a couple of surprises left yet."

"Oh?" I bit my lip, not sure whether or not I should run for it while I still had the chance. I decided against it, however, when Jasper assured me that I would enjoy whatever it was they had in store.

The moon was high in the sky by the time Emmett finished draining his catch. With complete indifference to the now dead animal, he carelessly discarded it. The body slipped from his hands, falling with a thud at his feet, thus disturbing what was otherwise a very serene environment.

It was a crisp, clear night, and like a diligent genitor, the western wind had kindly swept away the last traces of clouds and mist. The stars glittered proudly by the glowing sphere of the moon, which shone an odd colour―an ominous orange orb caught in a web of diamonds.

"It's the lunar eclipse tomorrow," Jasper announced, following my gaze. In his mind, I heard him register the sudden tension that abruptly invaded our merriment. Emmett, who had yet to sit down, looked uncomfortable. He glared up at the sky as if it posed some kind of threat … as if it were about to come crashing down in a blaze of ravenous flames.

"I don't like it," he whispered. Neither Jasper nor I voiced our own thoughts. We both knew what he was referring to, and like our brother, we weren't happy about it. The lunar eclipse would not only coincide with mine and Bella's wedding night, but would also occur during the inferior conjunction of Venus. I didn't relish the planetary alignment, nor their involvement in what would be, for me, a life altering event. In truth, it frightened me. I felt like a chess piece being moved across a board in a treacherous game, where the lives of those I cared about might very well be the price of playing.

"Do you ever feel as if we're all pawns to fate?" Emmett murmured sinisterly, without turning to face us.

"Yes."

"I don't like it." He shuddered, finally severing his stare from the strange omen. Despite his size and nature, there was something very innocent about my brother. Worrying was something he rarely bothered himself with. Like a child, he had better things to do than succumb to apprehension and fear. It was so unlike him, which stressed all the more the gravity of coming events, event which had Bella at their centre.

"I still can't figure out why it had to be her," I told my brothers, barely suppressing a whimper as my head fell into my palms. "Out of everyone on the planet, why Bella?"

Jasper and Emmett had no answer for me. None of us could fathom how a seemingly ordinary witch, though wonderful and brilliant and enchanting girl she might be, could shoulder the power and responsibilities the cosmos would soon bestow on her.

In our meeting with Akharet, Jasper, Emmett and I had discovered that my future wife was destined to become the single most powerful vampire in history, one who would possess the ability to topple the Volturi, as if the world's most influential coven were little more than a tower of wooden building blocks.

The task was inconceivable, too big and too terrifying for one woman―still practically a girl―to handle.

Finally, after a heavy sigh, Jasper extricated himself of his feather boa, and said, "What will be will be. Who are we to question Bella's abilities? She's stronger than anyone I've ever met. We shouldn't doubt her."

Emmett nodded, lowering himself to the floor. Despite my reservations, I couldn't argue with Jasper. On that point, he was right. Either way, it was a relief when he used his emotional influence to ease my fears. I didn't want to think about them just now. Instead, I chose to put them away like trinkets, deciding I would examine them more carefully at a later date.

I arched an eyebrow as Emmett produced eight wax-sealed letters, each addressed to me.

_Letters from the men in Bella's life, specifically those she met at Hogwarts._

"Oh." And just like that, with no more than a wave of white paper, all ugly thoughts about our uncertain future were removed, washed away by the renewed gush of excitement for my coming nuptials. After eagerly swiping the letters from Emmett, I set about identifying the senders. The scrawl on most was easily recognisable, as were the accompanying scents. Within seconds, I had discovered exactly who I should thank for each letter.

"We decided that the more prepared you are for marriage, the better," laughed Emmett, while Jasper smothered a guffaw, "hence the last minute reminders of what you're going to be dealing with for the next few millennia."

"If not longer," the empath added optimistically. I was confident that I already knew what I was dealing with, as they put it, but I wasn't opposed to the activity. It sounded like fun.

I opened Wood's first, wanting to save Harry's, Neville's and George's until the end. After breaking the seal, I was greeted with half a page of neat but rushed hand-writing, an echo of the Quidditch player's character.

_Edward,_

_You're a braver bloke than most, that's for sure. The first time I really noticed Bella was in her third year during Quidditch try-outs. It wasn't her talent that drew my eye, though s__he certainly had plenty of that. H__er spirit and sass were her biggest selling points. It was a toss-up between her and a fifth year, right up until she got mad at him and literally pulled the cape over his eyes. Poor numpty crashed into the central hoop and broke his nose. You don't encounter that kind of initiative every day. Basically, mate, you're buggered. Without that nifty power of yours that lets you get inside people's noggins, you haven't got a chance in hell of figuring out the mystery of Isabella Swan. She's the most resourceful witch I've ever met―a firecracker for certain―and if there were ever a person to keep you on your toes, it would be _that_ woman. From the depths of my soul, good luck and a happy marriage._

_Wood_

_P.S. I heard about the 'Hand of Swan'. It was a proud moment. I wept._

Emmett's entire body shook. He bellowed with laughter after I finished reading aloud. Wood hadn't told me anything I didn't already know, aside from the bit about Bella inadvertently breaking someone's nose in try-outs. She was an intelligent witch with a fiery temper, two aspect of her personality that I had identified in the biology lab and cafeteria of Forks' High-School. Satisfied, I opened the next letter.

Seamus gushed about my fiancée's assault of Cormac McLaggen, and advised me never to upset her after her transformation into a vampire, for 'Bella with her knickers in a twist' was 'more dangerous than a chilli-eating Horntail'. That, combined with my brothers' reactions, was more than enough to spark my irritation.

Dean, like Wood, focused on Bella's Quidditch abilities, as well as her sense of humour, while Lee recounted from his own perspective the tale of the frequency potion and Bella's subsequent scheme for revenge.

Ron, too, after emphasising that Bella was more temperamental than a Crumple-Horned Snorkack (whatever the hell that was), commented on her attitude to revenge, and how she had exercised her love for it on a weekly basis.

George, though focusing on a similar theme, was the first to replace the word 'revenge' with 'justice'. My brothers waited impatiently while I tore open his letter. We'd arranged ourselves in a way that was more conducive to discussion. I continued to occupy the fallen trunk. Jasper, who had initially seated himself beside me, had taken one half of a large igneous boulder that Emmett had split in two. Together, they had turned the rock into makeshift stools.

"Dear Edward," I read on …

_As I have yet to shackle myself with the ball and chain of matrimony, there is very little advice I can give you on how to survive a wife. However, I do know Hell-Bells quite well, and have therefore compiled a list of the crimes and punishments of Bella's history. Take heed: she has a strong sense of justice, so by all means, learn from the mistakes of the poor blighters not lucky enough to receive a similar warning._

_1) CRIME: make fun of her accent; PUNISHMENT: wake up to a draw full of underpants bearing stars and stripes. (Took me seven months to figure out the blasted counter spell to that one. Grr!) I doubt you have to worry about this, of course, being a Yank and what not._

_2) CRIME: spike her morning juice with frequency potion; PUNISHMENT: declare your undying love to a wrinkly old caretaker._

_3) CRIME: tell her she's a Mud-Blood; PUNISHMENT: vomit soap._

_4) CRIME: tell her she's ugly; PUNISHMENT: win a trip to the hospital wing._

_5) CRIME: ask her if it's 'that time'; PUNISHMENT: receive a pocket full of ticks without the tocks. (Possible side effect: contract Lyme disease―easily cured but still unpleasant.)_

_6) CRIME: issue an unfair detention; PUNISHMENT: hairloss._

_7) CRIME: beat her in a race; PUNISHMENT: race until she wins._

_8) CRIME: bring misery to everyone she cares about; PUNISHMENT: pink hair, sore privates (Blast-Ended Skrewts in the knicker draw, just so you don't get the wrong idea), flooded, burnt bottom, pushed to the brink of insanity._

_9) CRIME: tickle her feet; PUNISHMENT: accidental kick in the nose (possible breakage)._

_10) CRIME: threaten to destroy her loved ones; PUNISHMENT: lose a limb, risk of fatality._

_There are a dozen more, but a customer just entered the shop. I'm sure you get the picture. Good luck, mate, and take care of her, or I'll have you._

_George_

I blinked dumbly at the letter, before re-reading the quirky script once over. When I was positive I'd not mistaken George's words, I dropped the crinkled paper to my side and stared vacantly ahead. "Did I just get threatened by a human?"

Emmett looked horrified, his mouth agape like a net for insects. _The world is backwards. Something has gone very, very wrong._

I didn't share my brother's reaction. I loved having friends, ones outside my vampire family who knew my secrets and accepted me all the same. Could they really feel that at ease in our company? I cast my mind back over my time at the school, and then our trip to Diagon Alley where I had met Tom, the owner of The Leaky Cauldron, and Bertie Bigwig, one of his regular customers. Once they'd recognised us as contributors to the push against Voldemort, they had treated my family and I no differently than they had Bella, a human; and now, one year on, George was promising me physical injury if I didn't live up to his expectations. Things like that never ceased to amaze me.

With a chuckle, I moved George's letter to the bottom of the pile, and picked out Neville's. It had been only a few weeks since I had last spoken with him in the ward of St. Mungo's, where Carlisle administered the restorative potion to Frank and Alice Longbottom. After my sister had her vision of the potion's initial failure in the Gryffindor common-room, we had brainstormed for hours the possible tweaks we could make to ensure its success. In the end, the answer was simple. We'd added two of three essential ingredients: offerings from two necessary sources, but there was nothing to bind them together. It was Alice who suggested we needed a sacrifice from 'the servant' to seal the magic. The moment Carlisle decided to offer his venom, a premonition of outstanding clarity flitted through the psychic's mind. Together with Professor Slughorn, my father had commenced the brewing of the miracle cure. It took them a month to procure the necessary ingredients, and then another to complete the concoction. By July 20th, everything was set, so Neville got his parents back in time for his nineteenth birthday.

_Dear Edward,_

_Your brothers asked me to write you a little something about Bella. I'll get to that, but first, I just want to thank you again for what you and your family did for my mum and dad. I've been visiting the hospital for as long as I can remember. Every Christmas, New Year, Easter and birthday was spent in that horrid place. I started to think of it as a bit of a Dementor, somewhere that sucks out all your hope and joy until your soul was is as black as oil. That said, I'm sure you can understand why I have trouble believing all this is real._

_Mum and Dad are great. Well, as good as can be expected. Mum is trying to wrap her head around the advancement in broom technology, and she has a weird craving for fish-custard. Dad is distrustful of pancakes, but won't tell us why. It's hard getting anything out of them to be honest, and they're very dependent on me and Gran, but I wouldn't change it. By the way, that's something else I should mention. I think my gran fancies your dad. She gets this dreamy look in her eye whenever she talks about him, which she does a lot. All that aside, I should probably move onto Bella …_

I smiled at the neat script as I continued to read. Neville went on to discuss the times Bella had defended him against Slytherins before the formation of Dumbledore's Army, when he lacked the confidence to stand up for himself. He finished with what I considered a very accurate summary of the girl I loved.

_She's kind, funny, talented, brave and she fights for the things she believes in. As one of the best people I've ever met, I know she'll make you happy. Treat her well._

_Best wishes,_

_Neville_

Silence descended as we each contemplated the kind words of our fellow Gryffindor. The breeze sang a haunting chord as it rustled the grasses and tree branches.

_That was nice of him, _thought Jasper. _I'm glad things worked out for his parents._

Emmett, however, was more concerned with the bit about Neville's grandmother having a crush on Carlisle. We'd invited her to the wedding, like the rest of the Longbottoms. Perhaps it would be a good idea to warn Carlisle in advance of his latest admirer. Emmett disagreed. I only needed to look at the mischievous smirk painted across his dimpled face to know he was already planning how best to use this new information to his advantage.

I hastily opened Harry's letter in an effort to distract him. This one was shorter than the others, only a quarter of a page long, all written in Harry's unique scribble.

_Edward,_

_I have very little to tell you about Bella, as I'm sure you know most of it already. As a witch and Quidditch player, she's brilliant, both skilful and clever; as a friend, she's wonderful―just, fair and kind._

_In our fifth year of Hogwarts, she insisted on joining Ron, Hermione and me at the Department of Mysteries, where she held her own until the very end, hospitalising more than one Death Eater in the process. When you've lived the life that I have, Edward, you learn who your real friends are. Bella is one of them. I honestly think you couldn't have done any better. I wish you both a happy marriage and a prosperous future._

_All the best,_

_Harry_

Darkness was waning in the east. Dawn was yet an hour away, but the sky was already turning a lighter shade of blue where it met the horizon.

With the last letter read, I set about folding the papers away, pocketing them in the front pouch of the backpack for safe keeping.

"So," said Emmett, shuffling to the edge of his stony perch, "were they insightful?"

I smiled, but shook my head. "Like Harry said, there's little they could tell me about Bella that I haven't already heard before. Still, it was a nice gesture." But then I remembered George's list of crimes and punishments and amended my statement. "Actually, strike that. I now know not to tickle Bella's feet after her transformation."

"Which probably means you should get as much of that in while it won't crack your pretty face," Emmett advised. I nodded. Anything to see Bella laugh, even if I did have to employ dastardly tactics.

"Have you thought anymore about Renesmee?" Jasper probed, provoking another shift in mood. I fisted my hair again, pulling at the roots, and nodded.

"I think about her every day." My brothers stares were more piercing than steal blades. They cared about that little girl almost as much as I did. "What if we were wrong though?" I whispered, terrified. "What if this honeymoon has absolutely nothing to do with Bella conceiving our daughter? I've already allowed myself too much hope. I'm not sure I could handle that type of disappointment."

At my admission, my brothers' faces softened. Emmett reached out to grip my shoulder, and gave it a light squeeze, but it did nothing to alleviate my fears.

"Look at it this way, Edward," Jasper instructed, "one way or another, the child we saw in the vision is going to enter your life. Whether she's created naturally, or through magic we've yet to discover, you're getting closer to her every second of the day. You waited decades for Bella; was it worth it?" I rolled my answer, which was an answer in itself. Jasper nodded, before rising to his feet. "Be patient. You, more than anyone, should know by now that good things come to those who wait."

_Agreed, _thought Emmett, his meaningful stare boring into the side of my head. I suppose they were right. I had a lot to be grateful for. My brothers would both have walked through fire to secure the promise of a child. I'd shared my knowledge of Bella's dream with them, in which I'd seen a boy with Emmett's features. As much as they wanted to believe me, though, their doubt was still far too great.

"What of your clue?" I asked in an effort to change the subject. Emmett grinned immediately. He knew precisely what I was referring to. According to Hogwarts' sphinx, the key to vampire procreation was buried in a bell jar in the belly of London.

"You already know what we think, right?"

I nodded. "The Ministry."

"Yes," said Jasper. "It's obvious really, but that's as far as we got."

"We've prioritised," Emmett explained. "We're going to make enquiries while you're off romancing, but until we know what's going on with Bella, I doubt we'll be breaking and entering any time soon."

"Fair enough." I rose steadily from the log, and unwound the feather boa from around my neck. As glad as I was to be free of it, I decided against leaving it behind. It might prove to be an interesting memento of my time with my brothers.

It was half-past five when we set off back. Although we were several hours into the new morning, it didn't fully register until my brothers and I commenced the return journey that it was my wedding day. I'd waited a century to marry Isabella Swan, and, finally, my time had arrived. That knowledge tore into my muscles, fuelling my flight like oil in an engine, until the air was whistling loudly around me, impressed with the speed at which I ran.

On the low crest of a misty hill, I paused alongside my brothers, where together we cast our eyes up at the morning sky. With the sun slinking into view, the horizon shimmered beneath a light blue blanket, as if trimmed with a length of gold ribbon.

Over in the east, Venus caught the morning light―a winking portent of her sinister plans for love.

**A/N: So there you have it. Let me know what you think. Believe it or not, I do take your views into consideration when I write, so please review. It gives me great motivation. Until next time, lovelies!**


	2. Perfect

**A/N: Thanks for your patience. Work is hectic at the moment, but I've been assured that it gets easier, especially after the first semester. Two things:**

**1) If you want me to reply to a private message, please enable private messaging. I always feel bad when I can't respond. It makes me seem a bit ignorant. Polish-Klutz, this happened recently with you. Drop me a line when it's sorted. ^_^**

**2) This was a really hard one to write. I've been dreading it for two years, and I'm sure you'll figure out why by the end. Anyways, enough of that. I really hope you like it …**

Two things hit me when I pushed open the front door of the mansion: the first was the realisation that Alice had outdone herself with the wedding décor; the second was Alice herself. The inky- haired vampire, currently garbed in a lilac dressing gown, accosted me with the subtlety of Achme's Tasmanian Devil. She sounded a bit like him too, blurting out her words with such ferocity that they bled together to the point where I could barely understand her.

"Where'veyoubeengowash!"

I braced myself against the doorframe, anticipating an attack, but the effort, as always, proved useless. My terrifying sister dashed around me, ducking under my arms, before she aimed an astounding push to the centre of my spine. An inevitable crack ensued as I stumbled forwards. Fortunately, my advanced sense of equilibrium was enough to save me from an embarrassing fall, but nothing could preserve the unlucky doorframe. My eyes fell to my hands, which were still gripping two chunks of oak with dangerous force. Before I could correct my hold, however, the wooden casualties crumpled to sawdust, slipping through my fingers to form two messy piles on the floor.

Alice shrugged without apology when I glared accusingly in her direction a second later.

"McGonagall will see to it. She's due."

"Alice, she's a guest, not your personal maid," I growled.

"Oh, you know she won't mind. Now get upstairs and change out of that ridiculous t-shirt before I kick your butt like you deserve." _Dead man walking__―__unbelievable!_

At my sister's thoughts, I looked down to inspect my bachelor gear. It was just as pristine as it had been when I'd first put it on, despite the recent hunting activity. I grimaced then, realising we probably should have changed before venturing anywhere near the mansion, home to a trio of females with super-human strength and the subsequent ability to severely impair us, should they feel that way inclined.

"Alice, I didn't―"

"And the same goes for you two!" she interrupted, thrusting a finger at Emmett and her husband, of whom only the latter possessed the intelligence to appear reasonably ashamed. "Upstairs! I want you all showered and dressed before the guests start arriving. And don't even think about peeking at Bella, Edward," she ordered, a mad glint in her eyes, "or I'll skin you alive!"

With a solemn nod, I complied, obediently leading my brothers in single file, our heads bowed, up the stairs and away from Alice, who watched us go with her hands on her hips, wearing a scowl hot enough to rip the ozone a new one.

Behind me, Emmett sighed and shook his head. _We did warn you._

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Although I didn't need a shower, I took one anyway. I didn't dare defy Alice, not when the consequences might be life-threatening. Naturally, however, I almost slipped when it came to 'not peeking'.

Bella's voice was clearer than lightning over water. It stood out for me like nothing else, leaving every other sound flat and uninteresting by comparison. It was almost impossible to resist the desire to put an image to her lilting laughter, especially while I knew she had the attention of Alice and Rosalie, both of whom were diligently attending her.

"We've done brilliantly, Alice," Rosalie decided proudly, "if I do say so myself."

"I concur!" agreed the psychic, while I washed the suds from my hair.

"You look absolutely perfect. If Edward doesn't drop dead of sheer joy when he sees you, I'll kill him myself."

_Great, now _she_ has it in for me, too. _I grumbled under my breath, scrubbing between my toes with more force than necessary. Rosalie chuckled, but whether that was a result of her own words or my resentment, I couldn't say. How would I know? _Her_ head was off limits.

_Edward, stop muttering to yourself, _Esme instructed from downstairs, where she'd just finished arranging the last bouquet of orange blossoms. _You're getting married today._

As always, my adoptive mother knew exactly the right words to say. Suddenly, I was shocked that the sun wasn't smiling, and surprised when happily twittering bluebirds failed to fly in with a towel nipped between their beaks in preparation for my stepping out of the shower. It certainly would have been fitting for what could surely be nothing less than a glorious day.

After towelling off, I dressed quickly into the clothes Alice had left on my bed. I'd just finished the last button on my shirt when Carlisle knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door clicked open a moment later to reveal my adoptive father in a grey debonair suit with a white rose and lilac corsage pinned to the left lapel. He smiled warmly from the doorway, his eyes moving over me as I knotted my tie.

"How do I look?" I asked him, once I'd thrown on my jacket.

"Like a man ready to get married." He lifted his hand, revealing a second corsage nipped between his fingers, and gracefully ambled over to pin it to my suit. "There now, you're perfect." He took a step back to look me over, the blue of his eyes glimmering with a century of paternal affection. _I can hardly believe you're finally tying the knot. You've waited so long._

"You waited longer," I reminded him. Carlisle had been alone for centuries before he finally found Esme.

"True. Like father like son, eh?"

I smiled. It was the highest compliment anyone could pay. Carlisle was a beacon for all things good; to be compared to him in any respect was an honour. I turned then to face the glass wall of my bedroom. The sun had climbed high enough in the sky that the golden disc was visible above the towering treeline, saturating every surface of the landscape with a buttery hue. In the window's reflection, I observed the light as it danced off my skin, using me like a paintbrush to decorate the room with rainbow splashes. In the midst of the golden décor, the entire thing was splendid: a riot of colour that would break the hearts of history's most proficient artists.

As much as I had grown to accept my strange reaction to sunlight over the last year or so, I was relieved when Carlisle pulled a small silver flask from his pocket. After taking a quick swig himself, he offered it to me. I glugged back a mouthful of the thick liquid, suppressing a frown at the odd taste. The fiery tang of the dragon's blood couldn't completely mask the presence of the other ingredients, which, together, produced a fluid that reminded me of mildew and shadows. Fortunately, the potion's effects were well worth it; a few seconds later, my skin, though still retaining a pleasant glow, was no more shocking than a human's.

"Come on," said Carlisle, clapping me on the shoulder, "the guests will be arriving very soon." And with that, we marched together from the room, side by side, the groom and his best man.

Renee and Phil had just arrived when I made it to the bottom of the stairs. Now that the excitement of her discovery had waned a little, Renee was much more composed than she had been the last time I'd encountered her. Her purple floor-length dress swished elegantly from side to side as she approached me with Esme.

"Well, Edward," said my future mother-in-law, "don't you look handsome? If Bella makes it to the end of the aisle without fainting, I'll eat my hat."

"You're not wearing a hat," I chuckled.

"True. I'll have to steal one from another guest or something." As it turned out, Renee had nothing to worry about; there were plenty hats to be had.

It wasn't long until the British started rolling in, many of whom had adorned their crowns with some very interesting headwear. The magical guests, it seemed, were making an extra special effort to 'appear normal' for the benefit of the other invitees, and had therefore traded in their pointed hats for alternative pieces. Of course, the witches and wizards were so far removed from Muggle tradition that, despite their best efforts, many of them still ended up looking fairly eccentric.

George was sporting an indigo silken suit and Victorian top-hat embellished with a silver ribbon; Angelina Johnson, his date, had dressed to match, opting for a navy bubble dress―strapless, with a sequined bodice and ruched hem―along with a dark blue rose-shaped fascinator.

Neville's grandmother had put away her vulture hat in favour of something equally ostentatious. Atop her head sat an enormous fascinator made up of thick black ribbon, a dozen peacock feathers, and black netting which draped over one eye while leaving the other uncovered. When combined with the heavily laced emerald dress and black mesh gloves she'd selected, I couldn't help but think that the time-space continuum was feeling sickly, and had consequently spewed out an outfit from several different eras all over the oblivious Mrs Longbottom.

The dark ensemble clashed heavily with Luna's; her knee-length dress was an optimistic yellow and impossible to ignore. The daisy chains she'd strewn over her head were an interesting touch.

One by one, they made their way through the front door of the mansion. Most had taken advantage of the recently installed fireplace at the Swan residence. Bella's father was currently overseeing the transferal operation, greeting Bella's friends as they stumbled out of his chimney breast. If those arriving from across the pond were able to apparate, he showed them a photo of the mansion, and they subsequently popped up somewhere under one of the cedars on the front lawn; those lacking that particular talent were either transported via side-along apparition, or were loaded into cars and driven to the house by Jasper, Emmett or Seth.

"Alright, mate," said Ron, holding out his hand as he stepped over the threshold. His suit, while less gaudy than his brother's, was ever so slightly flamboyant, yet smart. He wore a thick black tailcoat with heavily padded shoulders, a dark green waistcoat over a white shirt, and a gold tie. Harry's outfit was much the same, except his waistcoat was black velvet and his shirt was grey against a dark blue tie. On their arms were their girlfriends, both of whom were hatless. Hermione looked radiant in a one-shouldered sheath the colour of rose petals, her hair spilling in elegant curls down her back. Ginny was just as lovely in fitted metallic satin.

"Hello," I greeted them, shaking one hand after the other. "Thanks for coming."

"It's an honour," smiled Hermione. "We're all very excited."

I grinned. "We have something in common then."

Slowly but surely, the seats filled up. We had scheduled the witches and wizards to arrive before the Muggles. When you have close to a hundred people appearing one by one out of thin air, it seems like the sensible thing to do. Bertie Bigwig and Tom of the Leaky Cauldron were the last of the magical company to arrive, the first of whom brought Charlie via side-along apparition; the latter, on the other hand, was supporting a large cask of fire whiskey and a bottle of dragon's blood. When I assured him that he needn't sacrifice his merchandise, he simply waved me off, insisting that it was a wedding gift and that we would need all the booze we could get to satisfy Hagrid alone.

"Who are we waiting on now?" Emmett asked after directing the cheerful duo to their seats.

"Just the Denalis, the Wolves, the Muggles and Talto," I replied. The owl was due next. Again, we had concluded that we would cause less of a scene if Bella's pet were already present when the Muggle's arrived. I briefly scanned the cedars, catching sight of the bird almost immediately. My eyes bugged a moment later when I realised he had brought a date.

To my right, Emmett chuckled and nudged Jasper. "That sly dog."

It was a good thing that the Denalis and the humans weren't due to make an appearance for another fifteen minutes, because it took us that long to coax the female from her place amongst the branches. She hooted frantically when Talto swooped away from her, terrified that we would hurt him. Part of me wanted to laugh; she'd only just met him and she already had it bad. The example set by her date and the promise of treats were eventually enough to lure her from the trees. Whether out of nerves or natural clumsiness, she landed awkwardly on Jasper's upraised hand. Her black eyes were wide with fear, and she jumped at even the slightest movement, but I appreciated her courage. She must have had to summon a lot of it to approach us. My brother cooed as he stroked her snowy breast, slowly putting her at ease with his gentle movements. Finally, the owl began to relax.

"Well well well, Talto," smiled Emmett, "looks like you've been busy. You kept this quiet." Bella's owl hooted and spread his wings, puffing out his breast like a hero, to which we laughed. My burly brother offered the female a worm fresh from the garden, and she eagerly snapped at it, chewing the poor creature quickly, before swallowing it back. The more he fed her, the happier she seemed to become. Clearly, animals could be bribed.

Cautiously, so as not to startle her, I reached out to stroke her breast. She tensed at first, but quickly relaxed when she realised I meant her no harm. "Hello there."

She hooted.

"You're a beauty, aren't you?" Her eyes darted from my brothers back to me. They were so piercing that I almost found it difficult to hold her stare. Through narrow black pupils, she measured me, reaching her own conclusions as the seconds passed, whatever they may have been. Unlike Talto, I couldn't buy her with compliments. When he'd first been introduced to my family, my sisters had won him over almost instantly with their admiration; but this barn owl was far more reserved. It would take more than a few compliments.

"She needs a name," Jasper decided. "What are we going to call her?"

I pursed my lips, deliberating carefully. Her breast feathers were of the purest white, contrasting all the more with her long, slender wings. In the light of the sun, they were lovely, flecks of gold mingled with warm ochre. No wonder Talto had fallen for her.

Emmett cocked his head to the side, pursing his lips. Suddenly, an enormous smile broke across his face, and he speedily dashed back into the house, his speed causing the air to whistle. He returned a moment later holding a purple velvet bag.

"Runes?"

My brother nodded, digging his hand in to pull out a fistful of small pebbles. They were Rosalie's; she'd bought them during her last trip to Diagon Alley as part of a game set. They were supposed to be laid out on a board like Scrabble pieces. The aim was to make as many high-scoring words as possible before all the pebbles were used.

Emmett presented the eight stones he'd extracted, and together we examined them. The consonant sounds included T, L, W, N and B. Runic vowels, whilst similar in many respects to the English, were different in others. As with the phonetic alphabet, each sound had a different symbol, unlike the English equivalents, many of which could be represented by a single letter. Two of the vowel stones were identical, leaving us with a long E as in 'bee', and two short Is, and in 'pin'.

In the ensuing minutes, we thought up all sorts of combinations, though we didn't always use every rune at our disposal. Among the possible names were 'Neebit', 'Ibileen', 'Eetlin' 'Linibee' and 'Wilibeen'. In truth, most of what we came up with sounded silly, thus earning many a shrill protest from Talto's girlfriend.

"How about Til-win?" I suggested.

"Til-win?" said Jasper, his lips pursing.

I nodded. "Tilwyn." Before either of my brothers could respond, however, there was a loud enthusiastic hoot, and we each looked down to see Talto's girlfriend shuffling from foot to foot. "You like it?"

The owl hooted again, this time flapping her wings with noticeable impatience.

Emmett grinned. "Well, I guess that settles it."

Tilwyn fluttered her wings proudly, the golden flecks of her feathers once again reflecting the buttery sunshine. Talto performed a brief congratulatory hop, before affectionately nipping his sweetheart's neck. Then, together, they glided away from us, swooping gracefully into the house.

The Wolves arrived five minutes later with Billy and Sue, most of them seeming reasonably comfortable, aside from Jacob, of course, who looked as if he wanted to bolt at the very first opportunity. His shoulders were squared stiffly as he wrung his fingers over and over. Sam was the only other amongst them who appeared unsure about being in attendance; his brothers, if anything, were anticipating the opportunity to mingle with people from the magical community. Leah had refused to come, not that that bothered me. Unlike Paul, she still hadn't apologised for almost killing Bella last Christmas.

Embry kept standing on his toes to see over his comrades, his eyes scanning the congregation. Of all the pack, he was the only one who could have spent more than ten minutes on his appearance. With his dark hair slicked back in a style reminiscent of a stereotypical American mobster, combined with a silver pinstriped suit and polished coal-black dress-shoes, I heavily suspected that he was trying to impress a certain someone. When his eyes found Luna, who was conversing in her regular dreamy fashion with Ginny, the Wolf took a leaf out of Talto's book. With a sudden intake of breath, he let the air fill his chest until it had expanded to almost twice its normal size; then, in a voice so loud that it easily carried over the combined chattering of all the other guests, he boomed, "Why, thank you for inviting us to your wedding, Edward. We almost didn't make it, what with having to protect the community from evil every single day." To finish he added, "Half-naked … sweaty."

"Thanks, Embry," I said awkwardly.

"No problem." He grinned, flashing his pearly teeth, before striding away in his self-assured gait towards the seats reserved for the Quileutes. Seth, meanwhile, was too busy slapping his own face to follow, embarrassed for both his friend and himself. After all, he was a member of the occasionally 'half-naked, sweaty' watch-dog service offered to the good people of La Push.

Jacob stayed behind while Emmett and Jasper ushered the others to their seats. Although we were the only two left standing on the porch, I could feel the prickling ears of the Wolves even after they were gone. In truth, part of me admired the defiant manner in which the pup narrowed his eyes at me; another part of me wanted to punch him in the face for daring to be so cocky on my wedding day.

_If you hurt her, bloodsucker, I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth, _he told me. _Understood?_

I stared blankly back at him. "If I hurt her, I won't be running."

He smirked without humour, staring me out for a moment longer, before inevitably turning into the house.

The Denalis arrived three minutes later. With languid movements, they glided out from between the trees like leaves on the temperate summer breeze. Carlisle and Esme joined me on the porch to greet them. Tanya led the party and was thus the first to embrace me. She was followed quickly by Kate, who bounced excitedly on her toes as she threw her arms around my neck. After the timid hug bestowed on me by Carmen, Eleazar grasped my hand in a firm handshake.

_How long have you been fending off the ladies now, Edward? _His decision to refrain from verbalising his thoughts was as much for my benefit as it was for Tanya's; neither of us wanted to deal with the awkward silence that comment would surely inspire were it uttered aloud.

A low chuckle vibrated up my throat. "Long enough."

_This girl must really be something if she managed to catch _your _attention._

"Oh, she is. I never stood a chance."

Eleazar smiled. He turned to follow the others through the front door. Before he even set a foot over the threshold, however, he froze, and all signs of mirth dropped from his face in a heartbeat. A furrow appeared between his golden eyes as he scanned the colourful invitees. For a moment, I thought he was assessing the peculiar fashion interspersed throughout the room. Unfortunately, the vampire rarely concerned himself with such superficial matters, so I shouldn't have been surprised when a frosty condemnation barraged the confusion from his face. I tensed as I caught the unmistakeable sound of his teeth snapping together a second later.

_Edward, what on earth are you playing at? _he asked without turning to face me. _I'm assuming you know _who_ and _what_ these people are?_

I felt rather than saw the questioning stares of my family as I considered my response. We had already discussed the possibility that Eleazar, with his unique gift, would sense the thrumming power of our many guests. Usually, he had to really focus to identify 'abilities' in humans; the talent in the room, however, was far from latent, and with such a high concentrate, it had been foolish of us to hope it would go unnoticed.

"I do," I answered truthfully. The vampire's disapproval was not something I wanted to deal with fifteen minutes before my wedding, but I would obviously have to do something to dispel his anxiety.

"Is Isabella one of them?" he asked through clenched teeth, finally turning to look at me. Carmen worriedly placed her hand on his arm, her eyes questioning, but he ignored her.

I nodded.

Eleazar hissed. _God damn it, Edward! You have no idea of the trouble you could get into for this. The Volturi__―__they__―_

"I know exactly what the Volturi would do if they found out, believe me," I explained, holding his piercing, golden eyes. Upstairs, I heard Alice and Rosalie freeze in their movements, while their counterparts did the same by the stairs. Now that I had their attention, I considered my words carefully before I uttered them. Under the sphinx's magic, there were things I knew I would never be able to say aloud; either way, I could certainly put them on their guard, and in light of our obscure future, that seemed like a very smart move. "You have no idea of the things that Jasper, Emmett and I have learned this year," I stated purposefully. "As far as these matters are concerned, I know more than you could possibly imagine."

Eleazar's eyes narrowed to slits. "Would you care to elaborate?"

"If only I could."

"What's stopping you?"

"That I couldn't tell you, but believe me when I say I am bound more tightly than you would ever believe."

"By magic?" he guessed.

Without elaborating, I merely smiled.

I tore my gaze from the vampire when Rosalie appeared a moment later in her silver bridesmaid dress at the bottom of the staircase. Her suspicious eyes were cast in my direction, but she swiftly turned them upon her husband, who met them with an unyielding countenance.

"Later," he told her.

She opened her mouth to protest. "But―"

"Rose, he said authoritatively, "later." Under my brother's steadfast gaze, the concerned vampire nodded. Very rarely did he refuse to indulge her, and anytime he did, it was always with good reason. As much as she wanted to dispute the matter, Rosalie heard the austerity of my brother's tone as clearly as the rest of us, and regardless of her natural tenacity, she trusted him far too much. For that reason, she nodded, before silently flitting over to the piano.

I turned back to Eleazar. His eyes followed my sister even after the exchange had ended. "Edward, I don't know what's going on here, and judging by Rosalie's reaction, I'm not the only one. The Volturi will not allow a witch to be turned. If they ever find out, they'll kill her, along with the one responsible for her transformation." At Esme's gasp, he sighed, his expression overcome with sadness. "I don't want to tell you this today of all days, but I think it's important you know."

"Thank you, but you haven't told me anything I didn't know before. We'll face whatever the future has in store for us."

Eleazar nodded. "I just hope you know what you're doing."

That was all that was said on the matter. I didn't mention the fact that Eleazar had kept his knowledge of the magical world from us for so long. What motivated that decision, I had no idea. Unlike me, he had no direct ties that I knew of with witches and wizards. Still, I didn't blame him for his reticence. My family and I hadn't exactly been forthcoming.

The Denalis joined the rest of the congregation, leaving me behind with my adoptive parents. I shook my head in warning when they arched their eyebrows inquiringly at me. That was all the indication they needed to know that I would not explain the mysterious conversation or the statements which had caused so much confusion. Thankfully, they let the matter drop, but I could hear the questions at the back of their minds, stored away for a more appropriate time.

The arrival of the Muggles injected some much needed cheer into the tense atmosphere. As much as I wanted to kick Mike, Jessica and Tyler back in the direction they'd come, owing to the unkind words they had uttered had Christmas time, I wouldn't have missed their astonished gawking for all the tea in China. Their eyes bulged out of their sockets as they travelled over the other guests. The same could be said for Eric, Ben and Angela, but they at least tried to be discreet about it. Their friends, however, reacted rather rudely to the diverse crowd. At the sight of Hagrid, Mike gently, yet carelessly, elbowed his date in the ribs, and whispered, "Freak show," much to her delight. Their humour dwindled a moment later when they realised they'd be sitting next to the half-giant for the duration of the ceremony.

At that, my brothers exchanged conspiratorial sniggers.

"I bet I can make Newton feel more uncomfortable than you can," Emmett stated.

"No way," was the empath's response.

"Care to make a wager?"

Jasper grinned, "Of course."

"All right, but you can't use your gift."

"Agreed."

"The loser eats a full Blood-Drinker's Devilry Pack," Emmett suggested.

The empath leered. "You're on."

Bella's school friends weren't the only ones who came to watch the ceremony. There were others, including some of Charlie's work friends, and a few extras from the Forks community.

Once all the guests were in their seats, I made my way to the front of the room with Carlisle, where I was greeted by Mr Weber, the minster who had agreed to marry Bella and me. With everything set, the chattering of the guests quickly subsided. Rosalie took that as her cue to start the music. Her willowy fingers danced in perfect timing over the black and ivory piano keys, weaving Wagner's March into the air in preparation for the bride's arrival.

Everyone stood.

On the next floor up, I heard Bella plead with her father to keep her from falling. I smiled. She needn't have bothered; Alice had carefully tucked the Newton Ball away in a concealed pocket beneath the folds of her skirts, as promised, but even that, it seemed, was not enough to assure Bella on the day when she would be the centre of everyone's attention.

I quickly began to feel the adoration eating away at me. It was a struggle to keep myself in place, and, in my impatience, I wanted more than anything to leap up the stairs and find the girl I loved. Luckily, Alice appeared on the stairway before I could do anything that silly.

In graceful rhythm, she made her way down, her hair pinned into neat little curls, a style she reserved for the specialist of occasions. The guests murmured appreciatively at the sight of her dress and bouquet. Like Rosalie, she was garbed in a silver sheath that shimmered like an ice curtain as it fell around her legs, the colour perfectly complemented by the elegantly arranged bouquet of white freesia, lavender and white roses held between her dainty looking hands. She winked at me when she reached the bottom of the staircase, before turning her gaze on her adoring lover, who grinned back proudly.

Movement at the top of the stairs immediately pulled my eyes away from my silver-clad sister. If I hadn't known better, I would have sworn that my long dormant heart had suddenly been replaced not just by a drum, but an entire samba band. Excitement coursed through my body, tightening my airways until I could barely breathe, and all it took was one glimpse of the goddess currently being escorted down the stairs by her father. Everything else disappeared: the room, the guests, the entire world, leaving only myself and the girl in virginal white.

She didn't look up until her foot touched the floor; instead, she clutched onto her bouquet and Charlie's arm as if her life depended on it, her eyes carefully tracing each step she took.

Bella had never looked more radiant. Her hair was pulled up in an elegant braid, from which there hung a delicate, floor-length veil as thin as spider web. Attached to it were a dozen glittering dewdrops, which made me wonder whether or not Alice had hunted down the witch or wizard who had designed the dress she'd procured from Cotton and Tweed when we bought the tent. It wouldn't have surprised me in the slightest if that had been the case.

The dress itself was stunning, especially on Bella. The neckline was made out of the same flimsy tulle as the veil, dipping down at the shoulders to form a wide 'V' shape. The tulle travelled down over her arms, which were adorned here and there with Chantilly lace. The dress was fitted all the way to her hips, where it spilled out like a white waterfall.

When both her feet were planted firmly on the ground, she finally looked up, pausing momentarily to take in the room. Her doe eyes widened as they absorbed the exquisite sprays of orange-blossoms, white roses, freesia and lilac punctuating the area. Only a few seconds had passed when her thirsty pupils snapped towards me. Emotion pulled lightly at her mouth, leaving it ever so slightly agape, until I couldn't help but think of her as some kind of angel, ethereal in her enchanting gown; and then, as you would expect from such a creature, Bella beamed at me: a truly joyful smile, with no sign of falsity or hesitance.

I could practically feel her heart pounding in her chest as she fought to keep her march in time with the rhythm of the music. Her pulse drummed in my head as if it were my own, driving the mounting desire and love for her to every corner of my body.

Bella's radiance threw my mind into a spin, to the point where I didn't stand a chance in hell of deciphering the thoughts of the onlookers, all of whom were meticulously inspecting her appearance. Her entrance had been met by a chorus of gasps and delighted whispering, but beyond that, I knew very little of what the people around us were thinking.

Finally, she reached the end of the aisle, at which point, in an ancient gesture, Charlie offered me her hands. I don't think I even thanked him. I was far too preoccupied with admiring his daughter's loveliness for that.

After the music ceased, the ceremony began. I said my part, and Bella said hers, the two of us following the lead of Mr Weber as we made our vows. We'd agreed on the traditional kind. It was as much for our benefit as it was for the Muggle guests. Neither of us had ever experienced anything else as far as weddings were concerned, and at the end of the day, the simplicity of it worked for us.

If Bella had feared the wedding, she showed no signs of it at the altar. I knew that my own expression would sing of victory, but I had never expected the same of the girl who, by her own admission, originally dreaded the mere idea of matrimony; yet Bella looked just as triumphant as I felt. She didn't even seem to notice the tears spilling over her eyelids until it was time to say the binding words.

"I do," she pledged, her voice little more than a whisper.

Then it was my turn, and I had never been more proud or honoured or overjoyed in my entire existence than I was in that moment, when I returned the promise to love and to cherish 'for as long as we both shall live'.

"I do," I vowed.

Finally, Mr Weber said the words I had been waiting to hear both my entire life and since I had last seen Bella in her bedroom: firstly, 'I now pronounce you husband and wife', and secondly, 'you may kiss the bride'.

I needed no more encouragement than that. With the most delicate movements, I lifted my hands to cradle the most precious thing in my world. Bella blinked back a tear as I cupped her face, and all the while, I tried to fathom how we had made it from a nightmare biology lesson, to what was so far the happiest day of my life. I bent my head towards hers, while she stretched up on her toes to meet me. It wasn't until my lips touched hers and she threw her arms around my neck that it truly hit me: though I had waited a century for the girl standing opposite, I was finally married―officially off the market―blissfully unavailable to any other woman―completely and utterly taken. Like Carlisle and my brothers, I was someone's husband.

And Bella was mine.

The kiss started out warm and tender, but Bella had other ideas in mind. Perhaps she forgot the watching crowd, because she quickly lost herself, injecting more heat and passion into the kiss as the seconds ticked by, until, like an anchor, she threatened to drag me under too. Somewhere in the background, there was a very George-like wolf-whistle, which gave way to inevitable tittering. Reluctantly, I pulled my lips from Bella's, smirking at both her loss of control and the subsequent blush that spread over her cheeks.

Applause burst through the room as I turned our bodies in the direction of our audience. For the first time since before Bella had entered the room, I was able to take in the people surrounding us. My eyes landed first on my family. Esme, Carlisle, Alice and Jasper looked ecstatic, clapping alongside one another with eyes so bright they could have had lights behind them. Emmett wasn't quite as subtle, his booming cheers punctuated every now and then with loud whistles. By the piano, Rosalie was smiling quietly, her violet eyes unusually warm.

Then, of course, there were the in-laws. A teary Renee quickly converged on Bella with a watery-eyed Charlie, though he did a better job than she did at composing himself.

The vampires had a similar idea in mind, advancing together to offer their congratulations. Luckily, I managed to catch a glimpse of the other witnesses before I was swallowed up by affectionate embraces.

The room was bursting with hundreds of delighted faces and thoughts. At the very back, Hagrid was blubbering into a giant handkerchief, or, better yet, a tablecloth. Mike, who was seated to his left, grimaced and shifted uncomfortably, probably wishing he'd brought an umbrella as he attempted to put some distance between himself and the half-giant. Bella's old Quidditch buddies were whooping unashamedly. George even went so far as to unleash the contents of a magical party-popper, forgetting the Muggles in the room. Luckily, the bubbles it released were fairly innocuous and didn't provoke too much suspicion. Even the Wolves, excluding Jacob, seemed fairly at ease. Billy kept glancing worriedly at his dejected son, probably expecting him to fly out the door at the first opportunity. Jacob, however, despite his disappointment, seemed resolute and was determined to stay until the end in support of his friend.

Bella and I were passed through the throng from one embrace to another, but all the while I kept her hand grasped firmly in mine, refusing to be separated from her.

The transition from the ceremony to the wedding reception was flawless, a testimony to Alice's events organising skills. There were thousands of white flowers strung about the party area, acting as an airy pavilion for the evening's merrymaking. Like the molten glass wall at the back of the house, the brilliant petals trapped the splendid light of the afternoon, using the captured rays to beautify themselves with a rich golden glow.

With the service behind us, there was finally time for conversation. Bella's dainty fingers gripped mine more firmly as the Denalis approached us. From my periphery, I noticed the way her teeth caught her lower lip, her eyes moving warily from one female to another. Just before they reached us, she exhaled a shaky breath, as if she'd been holding it for longer than was normal.

Tanya was the first to embrace me. In a sly manoeuvre, she snaked her arm into the folds of my morning suit and around my back, a trick that didn't escape Bella's vigilant eyes. In many ways, Tanya was harmless, though a little inconsiderate at times. When my wife's feelings were involved, however, it didn't exactly sit well with me. After patting her on the back, I swiftly extricated myself, before putting a few feet between us.

"Ah, Edward," she said, "congratulations." _Did you really have to go and get married?_

I chuckled. "Thank you, Tanya. I'm a very happy man. Let me introduce you to my wife," I said, feeling smug. "Tanya, this is my Bella."

At that, Bella squared her shoulders, her chin tilting up a fraction as she locked eyes with the strawberry-blonde, who regarded her speculatively.

Carmen beamed. _Oh, Edward, your wife is feisty. I like her!_

_She's brave, _thought Tanya, _I'll give her that. _"Welcome to the family Bella." She held out her hand then, smiling ruefully when Bella showed no hesitance. "We consider ourselves Carlisle's extended family, and I _am _sorry about the, er, incident last year when we did not behave as such. We should have met you sooner. Can you forgive us?"

The vampire looked and sounded genuinely sorry for the Denalis' failure to support us during our battle with the newborns.

Bella must have heard the sincerity in the apology, for her muscles relaxed ever so slightly, and she nodded. "Of course. It's so nice to meet you."

"The Cullens are all evened up in numbers now. Perhaps it will be our turn next, eh, Kate?" Tanya grinned at her sister, who rolled her eyes at what she considered to be highly improbable.

"Keep the dream alive," Kate laughed, slipping Bella's hand from Tanya's to lace it with her own. "Welcome, Bella."

Carmen placed her hand on top of Kate's then, and said, "I'm Carmen, this is Eleazar. We're all so pleased to finally meet you."

"M-me too," Bella stuttered, a little overwhelmed.

Tanya glanced over her shoulder at the people queuing behind her, all waiting for their turn to properly congratulate us. Wood, George, Angelina and Katie were up next, and then Neville and his family. "We'll get to know each other later. We'll have aeons of time for that."

The Denalis moved on then, much to my relief. Eleazar was still considering Bella's magical status. He didn't like that her powers could potentially earn her the wrong type of attention, and I knew he wanted to discuss the very subject with me. Luckily, he decided to let it lie for the moment; it was a day for celebration, after all.

"Bellsy!" cried George, throwing his arms out to his side. Bella laughed loudly, relaxing almost immediately, before rushing into her friend's waiting arms. "I never thought I'd see the day when anyone dared to marry _you._"

Bella jumped back immediately, and with an expression of mock irritation, swatted her friend on the arm.

George grinned. "Kidding. You look flipping gorgeous, by the way."

Bella blushed and smiled in thanks.

Then her old partner in crime turned his mad eyes on me, and said, "You too, hot stuff."

I chuckled, as did the others. "Hey now."

"It's those smouldering golden eyes," joked Wood, earning a high-five from George. I didn't even bother to point out that they were green today. After the general snickering subsided, Katie and Angelina took the lead in the conversation, conveying their adoration both for the wedding itself and Bella's appearance.

"Hi, guys," Neville greeted us, once the others had moved off. On his left stood his father, and on his right stood his mother. They looked better than they had the last time I had seen them. While their hair was just as colourless as it had been in the hospital wing, their cheeks were at least now pinker, if only slightly. All in all, they still looked sickly, their bones shrunken and withered through years of disuse, while their jaw bones jutted out at sharp angles. Based on their general appearance, I doubted that they would make it past a century, as was common for most witches and wizards, preserved as they were by their magic. If anything, it seemed more likely that Alice and Frank would have a couple of decades to look forward to at the most, but those years would be better spent now that they were no longer confined to a dreary hospital ward. They seemed very reliant on their son. That much was obvious from the moment I laid eyes on them, for their fingers were always touching some part of him: his hands, his arms, his shoulders.

"Hello, Neville," Bella smiled. "These must be your parents."

Neville nodded proudly. "Yeah, this is my mum and dad."

"Hello Mr and Mrs Longbottom."

"Hello," I offered. They smiled meekly, but didn't respond beyond that.

"Congratulations on tying the knot. You two are great together."

"Thank you," I said, grinning at Bella's friend. "That means a lot to us. We're thrilled you could make it."

"As if we'd miss it, Gran especially. She was up at four this morning. I think she tried on every outfit she owns," Neville said with a roll of his eyes. He frowned then, and looked around. "Where is she, anyway?"

Frank pointed in the direction of one of the cedars, beneath which stood my father and Esme. Neville's grandmother, it seemed, had accosted them, and was currently expressing her admiration for my father's tie. Off to the side stood my brothers, both of whom were cackling hysterically. Every time Carlisle tried to divert the discussion onto a new topic, Emmett would suddenly make a comment that would lead the conversation right back him, giving the witch a new opportunity to gush.

"Why, Mrs Longbottom, did you know that Carlisle swam the English Channel?"

"Did he now?"

Emmett grinned like a crocodile, ignoring the stomp to the foot bestowed on him by our beloved mother. "He most certainly did, and in no more than two hours!"

A stiff smiled spread over Carlisle's face as the woman extracted a black lacy fan from her sequin purse. She looked flustered, and quickly began to waft herself in an effort to cool her flushed skin.

Somehow, I managed to hold back my laughter when Carlisle, in a voice too low for the witch to hear, hissed to my brother, 'I promise you, Emmett, you will rue this day."

I quickly turned my attention back to Neville and his parents. Before they wandered away, Neville enquired as to how we did in our N.E.W.T.s. Bella revealed that she had secured an O in all her subjects. Both Alice and I had achieved the same results. Jasper and Emmett had both received an E in potions, while Rosalie had received one in Divination; aside from that, they were outstanding pupils too. Our year at Hogwarts had been time well spent. Because of McGonagall's generous invitation, I had discovered many things concerning mine and Bella's future. On top of that, I now possessed one vial of perfectly brewed Felix Felicis, ready for human consumption. The potion was nestled safely in a draw in my bedroom wardrobe, where it would stay until the moment Bella needed it the most.

Next to greet us were Viola and Amicus. The chocolate haired wizard looked incredibly proud of himself as he held his date's hand. He was shooting up like a bean pole, his wiry limbs thickening with adolescence. His shoulders had already broadened by an inch or so over the course of the summer. With the way he was going, he'd probably gain another by the time he reached his next birthday on the twenty-ninth of August.

Viola, too, had developed over the summer. Her face had lost some of its childish roundness, and her blue almond-shaped eyes looked even sharper now that they were rimmed with a thin line of black makeup. It wasn't too much, just enough to accentuate her features.

"Viola's been given the captaincy," Amicus bragged.

"Congratulations," Bella and I said together.

"You too," smiled the girl. "We really hope it all goes well for you."

"Thank you," replied Bella, her eyes warm with affection. "Make sure you pick a good team next season. Look out for the feisty ones."

"We will. Slytherin isn't coming anywhere near our cup. They can keep their grubby paws off!"

"That's the spirit!"

Eventually, we received the last of the felicitations, leaving the evening open for new activities. In keeping with tradition, Bella and I let our family and friends unleash their cameras while we cut the cake. I was so delighted with the day's proceedings that I didn't even flinch when Bella fed me the offensive confection. It was clunky and saccharine in the extreme, but I swallowed it back with manful determination.

After Bella skilfully tossed her bouquet (as was only to be expected of a Quidditch Chaser) right into Hermione's waiting hands, I took it upon myself to remove the borrowed garter that Alice had lent her for the wedding. The moment she realised what was about to transpire, her cheeks turned blood-red and she suddenly started fidgeting. I realised precisely what she'd been doing the moment I lifted her foot to remove the lacy scrap: she'd somehow managed to shimmy it down to her ankle in an attempt to cut short her embarrassment. In truth, I was a tiny bit disappointed, until of course I remembered that the honeymoon was only hours away. Emmett and Jasper howled with laughter as I removed the garter with my teeth, and then high-fived one another after I shot it right into Mike Newton's face.

After that, I led my wife onto the dance-floor for the customary first dance. She followed me willingly, displaying no reluctance despite her fear of dancing. With the help of the Newton Ball and my sure hands, she twirled effortlessly over the grass, each step moving fluidly into the next. Overhead, amidst the floral awning, there were strewn a thousand lights. They twinkled above us like stars, another romantic feature in what was already a very picturesque setting.

"Enjoying the party, Mrs Cullen?" God, it felt good to call her that.

Bella laughed. "That will take a while to get used to."

"We have a while," I reminded her, feeling jubilant as I leaned down to kiss her, once again triggering the fanatical flash of the cameras.

Charlie tapped me on the shoulder not long afterwards, and I regretfully released Bella to him. Esme took that as an opportunity to seize me in a dance, not that I minded, though I would have preferred to be twirling my wife instead.

I smiled again._ It's never going to get old._

"Oh, Edward, I'm so happy for you!" Esme professed. "Bella looks so beautiful."

"As always."

"Well, yes of course, but today more so than ever. She makes a wonderful bride."

"That she does," I agreed, glancing over at the girl occupying the space at the centre of the dance-floor. After Esme, I danced with Alice and then Rosalie, while Bella took turns dancing with our friends and family: first Emmett, Jasper second, then Carlisle, and finally Jacob.

"Are you going to explain what happened earlier with Eleazar?" my golden-haired sister asked, once we had started our waltz, effectively distracting me from Bella and Jacob's conversation.

I sighed. "If only I could, Rose."

She nodded, gently biting her lip as she considered how to proceed. "You implied that you were magically bound," she said, recalling the recent exchange. "How does that work anyway?"

Rosalie looked genuinely curious, and there was no sign of irritation on her perfect face. At one time, she would have been outraged at the prospect of being out of the loop. In the last year, however, she had developed a wealth of patience. I had once told Bella that any changes to a vampire's desires or personality were permanent; perhaps my sister would always be this way now. Her natural fire had not gone out―it was still there, blazing passionately for all to see―but it no longer burned anyone who got too close.

In answer to her question, I explained that I had discovered things that I was not permitted to speak about with anyone other than Emmett and Jasper, and that the words would get lodged in my throat if I even tried.

"When did it happen?" she wondered.

"At the beginning of the year, two weeks into the second term of school."

Rosalie's eyes narrowed to slits. _Emmett would have found a way to tell me by now if it were possible. He's rubbish at keeping secrets._

I nodded at that. "Yup."

_How is it that Alice didn't see, Edward? _my sister pressed. _I know she's been missing things involving magical creatures but―_

My eyes widened suggestively at her words, instantly changing the course of her thoughts.

_That's it, isn't it? You met someone, or something, that keyed you in about … stuff._

With my inability to form a response, I settled for gazing intently into my sisters eyes, hoping that the severity of my stare would be enough to confirm her theory.

"Do we know them?"

"No."

"But you met this creature in the school?" Again, I stared at her. Finally, she asked, "Should we be worried?"

How to reply though? If we were thinking long term, then of course the answer would be yes, but, again, did I really want to darken my wedding day with anxiety about our future? In the end, I decided to be truthful and, with a smile, replied, "Not today."

Though my answer left her incredibly unsatisfied, my sister did not press the issue. She spun in my arms a few times more, and then stepped away when the song changed.

As the party unfolded, the guests became increasingly high-spirited, probably a result of the large amounts of fire whiskey that were being consumed. I didn't know whether to laugh or groan as Hagrid blared out the tale of the time he had watched Bella thwack Marcus Flint right in the sniffer during her early days of Quidditch, after the Slytherin team had invaded the pitch during practise.

"She flew righ int him," he slurred. "Pracly knocked im ou the sky."

Jessica frowned. "The sky?"

"Yep, the sky! Like a beau'ful lil bird, she was!" While Hagrid tossed the last drops from his tankard into his mouth, the humans exchanged uncertain looks. At some point during the evening, they had mustered the courage to approach the half-giant, but it seemed he was already in danger of spilling the beans. Luckily, his colleagues flew to the rescue.

"Don't mind Hagrid," urged Professor McGonagall, sweeping in in her billowing emerald dress with Flitwick, Slughorn and Sprout. "He makes up all kinds of stories when he's had some ale."

"I do no such thing, Professor! Iz the truth, I swear."

"You're a professor?" asked Angela, eager for a change in subject.

McGonagall regarded her carefully, before nodding.

"What do you teach?"

"Trigonometry," the witch answered confidently.

Hagrid hiccupped, before throwing back his head to release a stream of giggles. "Oh dear, Professor, I don't think I'm the one thaz confused. Transfiguration, not tigonemy―thaz what you teach, remember? An' lil Professor Flitwick here teaches Charms, and Slughorn teaches Potions, and Sprout teaches Herbology. Thaz right."

Slughorn laughed uncomfortable. "Chemistry, Hagrid," he said through clenched teeth. "Bunsen burners and all that."

To my relief, McGonagall soon managed to separate the game-keeper from the suspicious Muggles, explaining when they were out of earshot that he needed to be more careful about what he said. Although the potential crisis had been averted, it was clear that the magical and non-magical guests had mingled enough; any more time spent in each other's company might result in someone having to erase a few memories, which I would prefer to avoid.

"Alice, I think it's time," I said. Immediately, my inky-haired sister appeared by my side, ready to whirl away Bella for the next phase of our plan.

"Already?" asked the girl, a slight pout forming on her lips.

I smiled, stroking it gently with my thumb. "It won't take long." She nodded, albeit regretfully, before reaching up on her toes to kiss me. I let her pull my face to hers, my arms encircling her slender waist while her fingers weaved their way through my hair. "Be quick, Mrs Cullen," I whispered in her ear, once our kiss had ended.

She smiled at that, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she patted me on the chest. "You, too, husband."

With that, she flitted away with Alice, leaving me with a mounting sense of euphoria. A yelp jerked me abruptly back to reality however. I just had time to look back to see Mike Newton clutching his backside, pressing his lips together as he battled the urge to cry out again, before my brothers suddenly intercepted me. They were cackling like hyenas as the rushed me away from the others, barely able to breathe.

"What just happened?" I demanded, stretching my mind back into the garden when it was no longer in view. Using Carlisle's astounded eyes, I watched an outraged Mrs Longbottom march away from the injured Muggle, her nose in the air as she stuffed her wand back into her purse.

Through frenzied laughter, Emmett choked, "Jasper won the bet. He told―ha ha―he told Neville's grandmother that Mike had spread a nasty rumour about Carlisle being an insane doctor, so she―ha ha ha! She―"

"She set his trousers on fire," Jasper wheezed. "Burnt right through to his underpants!"

A hand automatically flew to my mouth. "She didn't."

Emmett nodded. "She did. It didn't help matters that his boxer shorts had 'Legend' written in block capitals right across the back."

A goofy laugh rumbled up my throat as the image filled my head.

"Then she told him that he ought to put out that fire in his pants," Emmett guffawed, "and that being a legend was doing him no favours."

I doubled over on the stairs, while Jasper and Emmett howled some more.

"Can we keep her?" Jasper squeaked, gripping his stomach. "Please?"

We laughed all the way up to my room, where I quickly changed into a less formal suit: a white button-down under a thin black blazer, which I wore open and without a tie, along with black pants.

"We have something for you," Emmett announced suddenly, pushing away from the wall, where he'd been leaning casually while I changed. I felt my brow furrow with curiosity. From his pocket, my brother extracted what looked like a small, silver cigar case. When I arched an eyebrow at him, he chuckled and flipped it open. There, nestled amongst the red velvet lining, were twenty-four pills. "George was ecstatic when we appeared in his shop, asking for two dozen Devilry packs."

"I don't understand," I admitted.

"They're strength-removing candy," explained Jasper. "Just in case you feel you need them when you and Bella … you know."

I didn't bother to scoff at the idea of accepting the gift; the empath's cheerful mien was much too reassuring.

Emmett grinned and nodded. "We tested them and everything. Rose had a field day when she realised what we'd done."

I was then assaulted with more of my brother's obscene recollections, in which, for the first time in his life, he had been successfully handcuffed.

"Emmett," I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose, "my eyes."

He chuckled unapologetically. "Sorry man."

"Don't lie. You're not sorry at all."

"Yeah, you're right. Actually, I think I'm going to buy more of these," he laughed, handing over the pills. "I intend to repay the favour."

I looked down at the inoffensive, little tablets. They looked a bit like purple Skittles, only they were bigger. "Are there any side effects? I'm not going to be crawling along the floor or unable to move if I take them, am I?"

Jasper shook his head. "They just limit you to human strength and speed. It's actually quite a worthwhile experience―reminds you not to take things for granted."

My eyes caught the clock on the wall when I next looked up; it was half past eight. Now that the sun had almost set, the sky was on fire in the west, blazing reds and oranges merging with the frosty hues of the looming night.

I turned back to my brothers. "Thanks guys. It means a lot that you're looking out for Bella."

"Of course we're looking out for her," Jasper replied. "She's our sister now. Isn't that what older brothers do?"

"Yes, it is. Thanks again… Anyway, I guess I should get going."

_Yes, _thought Emmett, _and hurry back. We've got a party to be getting on with._

I nodded. "Anything else before I leave? Any last minute advice?"

"Nah," said the behemoth, "you'll be fine." He patted me on the back then, before pulling me into a brotherly embrace. "Congrats, bro. Bella looked stunning today."

"As always," Jasper interjected, anticipating my reply. After that, there was nothing more to say. My brothers walked me back down to the bottom floor, where we waited for my wife to make her second entrance. The guests had congregated at the bottom of the stairs, all eager to take part in the charade. Only the humans believed this to be our real send-off. Mike was nowhere to be seen. He must have departed immediately after the incident with Mrs Longbottom.

Everyone cheered when the girls appeared on the staircase. Esme and Renee trailed proudly after Bella, who clutched onto my sister's arm as she made her way down the stairs in four-inch heels, the shade of which perfectly complimented her deep blue dress. The pins had been removed from her hair, leaving it to tumble about her face in soft waves. The palette of her skin was comprised of strawberry and cream; when combined with the chocolate of her eyes and hair, she looked good enough to eat. Even without the venom burn, everything about her was delectable.

Together, we walked hand in hand out of the house, escorted by frenzied cheers and loud clapping. Most of the confetti flew over our heads, but some of it was well-aimed. Although my brothers were the main perpetrators, Wood and George acted as accomplices, using my head as a target for their sport. I tried to shield Bella as best I could, but against two vampires and a pair of Quidditch players, I couldn't really offer her much protection.

She giggled when she spotted the Vanquish. It had been decorated with streamers and flowers, and from the tail end, connected by three lengths of gossamer ribbon, there dangled a dozen shoes―pristine, designer pumps all fresh out of their boxes. Personally, I was only tolerating the gaudy heels because I'd just gotten married. If it had been any other day, I would have murdered Alice.

Bella waved to the guests as I sped us down the length of the drive. When they disappeared from view, she relaxed back into her seat with a light sigh and murmured, "Finally alone."

My eyes left the road immediately, captured by the huntress beside me. I didn't need to be able to read her mind to know what she was thinking. Her flushed complexion was evidence enough of her anticipation. Bella was looking at me like I was dinner. I wasn't sure whether to feel excited or nervous about that.

Without my permission, the Vanquish slammed to a grinding halt. I exclaimed in confusion, trying to make sense of the situation as I stared down at the brake pedal, which was pressed firmly against the floor of the car by an invisible foot. The next thing I knew, Bella had released her seatbelt and was climbing over the console to straddle me, biting her lip seductively as her arms snaked around my neck.

"Bella, what are you―" My words were smothered before I could finish the question. Bella crushed her lips to mine, her hot floral scent making me dizzy as it swirled through the car, growing in strength until it was practically a separate entity. She moaned into my mouth, her fingers tugging at my hair. As if she'd found an 'on' switch, my body suddenly responded. A growl, low and guttural like a lion's, rushed through my parted lips, and I quickly began kissing her more forcefully, squeezing her small frame against mine. My hands gripped her thighs as she bit down on my lip, not from pain, but an overwhelming sense of pleasure. I shuddered as her delicate fingernails clawed at my chest, bursts of electricity surging through my nervous system at her touch.

At some point, the little gentleman on my shoulder poked me with his cane, much to my irritation.

"Not that I didn't enjoy that," I murmured, reluctantly pulling back, "but I think we need to get going, Bella."

Her frown was short-lived, replaced instead by another impish grin. "Just a few more minutes," she replied, her face moving back to mine. I chuckled at her eagerness, before placing a finger over her full lips.

"Later, we can do as much kissing as you'd like, but, right now, we need to get to Charlie's."

She rolled her eyes, but returned to her seat with a resigned sigh. "Spoil-sport."

I laughed again. "Nice trick by the way. You really took me by surprise there. How did you manage it without your wand?"

Now it was Bella's turn to laugh. "It was a primal impulse," she shrugged. "What can I say? The urge to make out with my sexy husband in his sexy car was far too great to resist."

She watched my face carefully as I restarted the engine, and I monitored her from my periphery. I think she realised that I would have been blushing had I been human. It would have explained the amused grin she wore. I quickly shook off my bashfulness and turned to smirk at her.

"I like that."

Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Sexy husband," I elaborated. "I might demand that you call me that all the time."

"Believe me," she laughed. "I would have no problem with that whatsoever."

"Carmen was right," I said with a smile. "You _are_ feisty."

Bella winked. "Naturally, I'm a Cullen."

Her hand joined with mine above the console, lacing with mine while I delighted in her words. Bella Cullen … Mrs Cullen … My sexy wife.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After I had parked the Vanquish in Charlie's driveway, Bella skilfully cast a disillusionment charm over the car, thereby shielding it from prying eyes. It wouldn't do for the neighbours to see it upon their return from the party. In their minds, it should be halfway to Port Angeles by now.

Bella's father was already waiting for us in the living room when we entered. His suit was sooty after his trip through the Floo network, but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed later.

"You're safe to come back. They're all gone," he said, bouncing up and down on his toes.

Bella nodded. "Do you want to catch a ride with us, or―"

"Nope, definitely not," he interrupted. "I prefer to take the chimney, thanks."

"Are you sure?"

Charlie nodded. "If it's good enough for Santa, it's good enough for me."

We laughed at that, and then Charlie made his exit, stepping into the emerald flames that would transport him back to the house. Bella and I met him by the fire place back at the mansion, after apparating into the flowery living room. On our way to the second half of the party, I pulled Bella to a halt, telling her father to go on without us.

"We'll only be a couple of minutes."

Charlie nodded, before turning to march away in the direction of the tent.

"What is it?" asked Bella.

Without responding, I held up both arms, my eyes on the nearby tree line. At my signal, Talto and Tilwyn came gliding out from their spot amongst the spruces, and within a matter of seconds, they had neatly landed on my upraised fists.

Bella gasped at the newcomer, lifting a hand to her mouth as she absorbed the sight before her. Finally, when the initial shock had subsided, a wide grin spread across her face, and she quickly reached out to stroke the beautiful female. "Edward, is this who I think it is?"

"Yup," I answered, popping the p."

"Wow, she's gorgeous!" Her eyes then landed on a smug looking Talto. "Finally caught yourself a girlfriend, eh?"

Before her faithful pet could reply, however, Tilwyn gave a hoot of objection. She spread her wings as far as they would reach, before making a lunging motion, her eyes penetrating as they held Bella's.

"What is she trying to say?" the witch wondered.

I felt my brow furrow as I took in the owl's predatory stance. Talto shuffled uncomfortably, almost as if he were embarrassed by something. I flung back my head with a snort when it finally hit me. "I don't think it was Talto that was doing the chasing," I realised. "Tilwyn caught _him._"

Bella's answering chuckle was fleeting. "Tilwyn?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

I nodded. "I named her with Jasper and Emmett. What do you think?"

The witch pursed her lips, her brow puckering. "Talto and Tilwyn … it has a nice ring to it." Both owls seemed to agree. They nipped affectionately at Bella's ear, and I was glad to see that Tilwyn took to her so quickly. She still didn't entirely trust me, but that would come in time. "Well, congratulations, you two. We're happy for you, aren't we, Edward?"

"Absolutely."

"It was lovely to meet you, Tilwyn," Bella said, gently caressing the owl's breast feathers. "Make sure you take care of Talto, and don't let his ego get too big."

_As if there's much chance of that, _I thought. If her recent demonstration was anything to go by, Talto will certainly have his hands full.

We said our goodbyes to the owls then. Before she left, Tilwyn even pushed herself to nip my wrist, still not daring to get too close to my face, but making an effort all the same. We waved the happy couple off as they flew back towards the tree line. Bella watched her owl depart with an expression that was half satisfied and half sad. When I questioned her about it, she explained that this time it almost felt like a true goodbye, rather than a 'see you later'.

"He's off to raise a family, Edward. He's flying the nest."

"Aren't _you_?" I smiled.

Bella frowned. "Flying the nest?"

I cursed internally, realising that I had almost slipped up. Sometimes, I forgot that I was the only one between us who knew of Renesmee. Bella still had no idea. I nodded.

My wife shrugged. "I guess, but it's still a little sad. I can't exactly ask Talto to come with us to Alaska when doing so will mean he'll have to uproot his mate."

"I wouldn't worry, Bella," I said, reaching up to caress her cheek. "I'm sure this isn't the end for you two."

She smiled, but it didn't touch her eyes.

I linked my hand with hers then and pulled our entwined fingers up to my mouth, before placing feather-light kisses on each of her knuckles. "Come on, they're waiting for us."

The magical tent was a little way beyond the far bank of the gushing river. Its location had been selected to ensure that wandering Muggles had no way of accidentally stumbling across it. As Bella and I approached, the gentle evening breeze lightly rustled the midnight-blue entrance drapes, so that the fabric billowed and receded like the ocean swell, beckoning us forwards.

The instant I pulled back the silky swathes, a deafening symphony of cheers and applause exploded into life. A hundred smiling faces lined the room, looking on as a gush of golden bubbles erupted overhead, projected from Flitwick's wand to form a majestic canopy.

When the clapping diminished, Carlisle gave his best-man speech. Aside from a few good-humoured cracks regarding my age, his words were very heartfelt, recounting my life story up until the point that I met Bella. To my relief, he left out the gory details, instead choosing to romanticise my long history until there issued a chorus of sighs from the room's engrossed females. Finally, he lifted a glass, signalling a toast, and wished a happy future to Bella and me―'the happy couple'.

Emmett and Jasper took that as permission to commence their speedy descent into inebriation. They glugged their first glass down in a matter of seconds, before hastily moving onto the next. Alice and Rosalie sipped theirs slowly, not wanting to repeat their vampire hangover experience. The psychic's warnings of the repercussions, however, fell on deaf ears, and it wasn't long until my brothers were well on their way to joining Hagrid in merry intoxication.

They weren't the only ones either. After a few glasses of fire whiskey, George took it upon himself to interrupt a conversation between Charlie and Mr and Mrs Weasley, to congratulate the police chief on his 'exemplary offspring'. When he'd successfully rendered the man speechless, he turned to his own parents to convey the very same praise. It went without saying that he wasn't referring to his siblings. The ensuing rebuke issued by the wizard's irritated mother was completely lost on him, and without further delay, George went to find his date, who had already taken to the dance-floor with Katie Bell, Ginny and Hermione.

Their figures no longer twirled to the steady rhythm of a string quartet. Alice had booked a more up-tempo band for the second half of the night: a relatively unknown, yet talented, group of magical musicians collectively referred to as 'Queen Mab'. They were an interesting looking group, the men wearing white tunics adorned with decorative summer leaves, while the girls―the lead singer and bass guitarist―pranced around in emerald dresses made of silk and tulle, their shredded skirts as stylishly wild as the jet black tresses spilling out from beneath their black, sequined witchs' hats. On the raised platform in the centre of the room, they dexterously wielded their instruments, controlling the enlivened bodies of the guests until they thrashed and gyrated and jumped like the well-oiled parts of a machine. Nina LeFay, the lead singer, weaved her lyrics perfectly with the sound of the bag pipes, the guitars, the flute and the drums. She sang with a very distinct Yorkshire accent, in a voice that was husky and rich.

_On t' morrow, I'll meet ye beneath silvery fell_

_In a shimmering glade where your kindred dwell_

_My gladrags are ready, and dancing shoes too_

_So steal me away, I'm ready for you._

_Fairy King, I'll be your pretty thing_

_Take me, kiss me, keep me, Fairy King…_

The divine web of artificial stars glittered above us as I moved over the floor with Bella in my arms, her head pressed lightly against my chest. She giggled loudly as she took in the unfolding acts of frivolity. Off to the left, Embry had employed John Travolta dancing techniques to woo Luna, who was finally lured by the display of eccentricity. He beamed when she began mimicking his peculiar style, and, together, they mixed Grease Lightning with tributes to fairies, vampires and phoenixes. When the band started singing 'Hop on my Dragon', Embry upped the ante. With one sly manoeuvre, he managed to snake his arms around the witch's waist. Luckiy, Luna was oblivious to the subsequent chorus of wolf-whistles issuing from the edge of the dance-floor where the other Quileutes were gathered, but her partner certainly noticed. Above a Cheshire cat smile, his eyebrows wagged half a dozen times, while his friends gave him the thumbs-up.

The other guests seemed to be enjoying themselves just as much. Seamus and Dean were busy playing the air guitar by the buffet table, and a tipsy Professor Flitwick contented himself with acting the conductor.

Meanwhile, Professor Slughorn was regaling Carlisle, Esme and the Denalis with the tale of a recent mishap involving Ashwinder eggs.

"I was collecting them for Ambrosius Flume―you know, the owner of Honeydukes? Well, he had ague. Ashwinder eggs are good for that sort of thing. Anyway, there I was, picking them from an abandoned nest, when suddenly one goes and explodes right in my face! Bloody thing burnt all my nose hairs in a second flat, look!" The vampires shifted uncomfortably as the wizard lifted his bulbous nose to show off his hairless nostrils. "Of course, I managed to freeze the blighters before they did any real damage, but I wasn't half cursing at the time: 'hells bells, buckets of blood' and all that. Ha ha, hey ho!"

Luckily, the wizard was distracted by a fellow teacher before he could launch back into storytelling. A very drunken Hagrid, it seemed, had mistaken a hat stand for the slim figure of Hogwarts' headmistress, and was proceeding to swing it around in a clumsy waltz. McGonagall, it turned out, was actually dancing with Mr Weasley, while his wife ate cake and gossiped with Neville's grandmother.

"And did you know," said the elderly witch, almost spilling her sherry, "that Doctor Cullen was the physician of Queen Elizabeth I?"

Mrs Weasley, who looked far healthier than she had in previous months, having regained her natural rosiness, frowned sceptically at her acquaintance. "I don't' think Carlisle was around then, Augusta."

"Of course he was! He's over a thousand years old. There's a picture of him when he was still human in the Bayeux Tapestry."

I snorted loudly at that. When Bella raised a questioning eyebrow, I joked that all this time my father had been lying about his age. Unfortunately for the vampire in question, my brothers caught wind of the ridiculous rumour, and in their drunken states, could not resist the opportunity to tease our leader.

"_He swore to conquer William, the French duke!" _they sang. _"He swore to conquer William or die. But conquered was he when they came across the sea: Carlisle, Doc Carlisle, the old man. Ten sixty-six! Ten sixty-six! Ten sixty-six at Hastings!"_

And they didn't stop there, either. My rascally brothers decided to humiliate Carlisle further, and interrupted Queen Mab before they could start their next song, taking to the stage to give a joint speech.

"Hellooooo, hellooooo!" Emmett bellowed into the microphone, his arm casually slung around Jasper's shoulder. Both looked as if they'd been dragged through a hedge backwards, their hair dishevelled and their shirts rumpled.

"Hey y'all," slurred the empath, in a strong Texan accent, flashing his sparkling teeth in a wide grin. The girls swooned.

"First of all, you sexy things, thanks for coming." The crowd responded with a deafening cheer. "Before we get around to the bride and groom, we would like to extend a special thanks to our adoptive father. Isn't that right, Jasper?"

"Yup."

The fact that the pair wobbled every now and then was evidence enough of just how much dragon's blood they'd actually consumed. Carlisle shifted uncomfortably, aware that he had suddenly become the centre of attention.

"After all, none of us would be here if Carlisle hadn't decided to save us."

"That's right," giggled Jasper, wobbling again. "That's why we're soooooooo grateful that he was captured by French warlords at the Battle of Hastings! If he hadn't been, then he never would have ended up in Burgundy, where he was eventually sold into slavery."

Carlisle's eyes widened in horror.

"Not that we're glad that he suffered," Emmett assured their astonished audience. "But it was only after our brave, heroic father was bought by an evil duchess that he finally became a vampire. Like a defenceless puppy, Carlisle was regularly beaten if he didn't please his mistress."

This statement received mixed reactions: those gullible to believe it either gasped or gaped in horror, while the others rolled their eyes or shook their heads. Carlisle, meanwhile, glared up at his sons with an expression promising retribution.

"One day," said Jasper, undeterred by the frosty scowl, "Carlisle forgot to prepare the tea, and was subsequently battered to a bloody pulp, which attracted the attention of a female vampire passing by the castle where he was being held.

"Gerty, as she was called, was so taken with the scent that she snuck into the fortress and slaughtered the dungeon guards, glutting herself on their blood! By the time she reached Carlisle, she was completely full, and so saw no reason to kill him. Instead, she released him, and transported his unconscious body to Germany, depositing him in a small village twenty miles from Berlin, where Carlisle became a goat farmer!"

Our father groaned.

"One night," continued Emmett, "his favourte goat was stolen by a group of poachers. Almost destitute, Carlisle couldn't afford to lose any of his stock, and in a fit of rage, he tracked the men to the edge of the town and challenged the leader to a duel. Unbeknownst to his opponent, Carlisle was a gifted fighter, a result of training when he'd lived as a soldier in England. In a matter of minutes, he defeated the thief and reclaimed his goat!"

"But his efforts hadn't gone unnoticed!" Jasper proclaimed. "From the cover of a nearby forest, a scout had observed the fight, and relayed the tale back to his rich master, who later sent for Carlisle and offered him employment. Unfortunately, our father didn't speak a word of German, and thus gave no response, which greatly offended the now angry nobleman. And so, Carlisle was imprisoned for a second time, much to the amusement of Gerty, who had been keeping a close eye on him.

"'What will I do with you, Carlisle?' she said." Beside me, Bella was desperately trying not to laugh at Jasper's impression of a female. "'It seems you can't help but work yourself into a pickle!'"

"And so," said Emmett, taking over, "Gerty decided that she had no option but to turn our father into a vampire, for it was the only way he would truly be able to protect himself from the wicked gentry of Europe. After she taught him everything she knew, they parted as friends. Over the next few decades, Carlisle trained to be a doctor, and has since treated many famous Muggles, including Queen Elizabeth I, Macbeth and Elvis."

At that, Jasper slapped a hand to his mouth to smother a cackle.

"Finally, our father came to America to continue practicing medicine. When he wasn't saving lives, he practised his favourite hobby: knitting.

"And that, ladies and gentleman, is the true condensed story of how a warrior turned slave turned goat-man turned prisoner turned vampire became the doctor whom we all know and love. On behalf of the rest of our family, we would like to thank him for bringing us all together."

The believers cheered and applauded, a few of whom (including Augusta Longbottom) were bawling their eyes out. The sceptics clapped simply to be polite, and threw Carlisle the most sympathetic expressions they could muster. George didn't believe a word my brother's had uttered, but he certainly gave the loudest applause.

A sense of foreboding bubbled in my stomach as the dastardly duo turned their eyes on my wife and me.

"Finally," grinned Emmett, "the bride and groom." At my brothers' wicked smiles, I pressed my face into Bella's neck and groaned. How long had they been waiting to embarrass me horribly in front of everyone? "We're so glad that Edward found Bella. Edward was already in his thirties by the time I joined the family, though he acted more like an eighty year old with a stick up his ass."

"I'm going to kill him," I ground out.

Bella laughed. "You'll do no such thing."

"You know the type," my asinine brother continued, undeterred. "The kind of old fogy that sits on his porch resentfully waving a cane at the people who have what he doesn't: youth and their own teeth. Granted, Edward has a cracking set of tussy pegs, but for decades he lived alongside three married couples, without actually having anyone to call his own."

My brother's words provoked a lot of awing and a number of sympathetic glances. Lavender reached over to squeeze my shoulder, as if she feared I'd suddenly break down without the support.

"Indeed," sighed Jasper with a shake of his head, "Edward was a loner: a depressed, emo vampire who, like a flower in search of the sun, was desperately trying to find his one true love."

Emmett nodded. "So true. We even nicknamed him Daisy."

My hands clenched into fists as I stood with my arms wrapped around Bella. Leaning down to whisper in her ear, I asked, "Now can I kill them?"

"Not yet. I want to listen."

I huffed, straightening back up to glare at my brothers.

_Don't worry, Edward, _my father thought to me as I ground my teeth together. _Their time will come._

"But then," Emmett pressed, "Edward finally met the girl of his dreams, and is no longer the sad, pathetic loser that he was all those years ago." My brothers lifted their glasses, smirking like the asses they were. "And so, we would like to propose a toast to Edward and our new sister. To Edward: it's about freakin' time; and to Bella: we hope you've had plenty of sleep these last eighteen years, because you won't be getting much more for a while!"

The suggestive comment left Bella mortified. Her cheeks burned strawberry red, and she couldn't bear to look at her father, who suddenly seemed to develop a fascination with his shoes, even though on numerous occasions he'd complained at having to wear them.

Luckily, the humans couldn't hear the commotion by the stairs for their own cheering. Bella tensed in my arms as my head snapped in the direction of the Wolves, following my line of sight to where Sam, Quill, Jared, Paul and Seth were doing their best to calm their furious friend. Jacob's form trembled uncontrollably beneath their frantic hands. His eyes were almost black as they focused in on me, while his lips curled back to form a vicious snarl.

"They can't be serious!" he growled. "He can't!"

"They're married, Jake," Seth reminded him.

"LIKE THAT MATTERS! RING OR NO RING, HE'LL STILL KILL HER!" Jacob continued to struggle, but in human form, his efforts were futile. Before the Quileutes could drag their comrade outside, the giant russet wolf exploded from the centre of the snarling man in a fit of rage, leaving only a shredded tux as evidence of his previous shape.

His transformation was met with cries of shock, amplified a moment later into shrieks of absolute terror when Sam, too, burst into his second form.

_Stop!_

Jacob buckled immediately, his legs giving way under the commanding bark of the alpha. The mutt snarled. _Back off, Sam._

_I will not let you ruin this for everyone, Jacob. Bella is not your responsibility. If you can't control your temper, go home! I'll take you myself._

With their clothes destroyed, it wasn't as if the Wolves had any choice other than to depart. Jacob yelped as he realised the mistake he'd made, his large brown eyes searching out Bella's.

The girl in my arms didn't seem to know what to make of the situation. Her chest rapidly rose and fell and she watched the confusing scene unfold. When she realised that her best man would be leaving early, her already shallow breathing cut off altogether. She gulped back tears as he bowed his head in disgrace, turning to leave with Sam at his heels.

"Jake … don't go," pleaded the witch. It was to no effect though; Sam had already made his decision, and Bella had no way of contesting it.

With one final authoritative bark from the Alpha, the pair took their leave.

The gossipmongers instantly began their yammering as the tension dissipated, all of them speculating over the reason for the volatile shape-shifter's violent outburst. Surprisingly, I regretted his sudden departure. On the one hand, I was aware that jealousy had contributed a lot to his actions; on the other, of course, I knew that the mutt simply feared for Bella's safety, and any threat to it, as far as he was concerned, was completely unacceptable.

"What was that about?" Bella asked. The display had clearly left her shaken: her voice was barely more than a whisper and her whole body was trembling like a leaf. I could have killed my brothers for their stupidity.

"Jacob realised what Emmett meant when he was talking about … about you getting no sleep."

Bella's eyes widened in horror, a hand flying to her mouth. "Edward, no!"

I gave her a sad smile, gently rubbing her back as she closed her eyes. She sniffed once, running a finger beneath her eyelids to catch unwelcomed tears, before sucking in a long, soothing breath. When she next looked at me, I was almost fooled into thinking she had completely recovered.

"I'm OK."

I wasn't exactly convinced. "Are you sure?"

Bella nodded. "I'm not going to spend tonight worrying about Jacob. We both know you could never hurt me."

"I'm not so sure about that," I admitted lowly, turning my face away.

"Edward Cullen," Bella admonished, poking my chest, "don't you dare start doubting yourself now."

"I won't, but―"

"No buts," she interrupted. "We're going to be perfect. We always are."

I didn't even have the chance to argue: with a passionate kiss, Bella silenced any fears I might have otherwise voiced, which was all the distraction I needed.

After that minor hiccup, the rest of the evening passed without incident. By ten o'clock, Hagrid was dead to the world, head lolling back against the headrest of Carlisle's leather armchair, his snores lost in the folds of the band's latest pulsing melody. Perhaps that was a good thing; he certainly wouldn't have had much luck if he'd been awake to participate in the final activity.

Wood, George and Bayle Wishart decided to propose a game of limbo. After Alice presented them with a suitable cane, they cast it into the air, and the contest began. Almost everyone took part, including me. Watching Charlie try to work his way under the floating bamboo was nothing short of hilarious. The look of intense concentration he wore as he thrust his hips and wiggled his chest had both Bella and me in stitches. Nevertheless, my father-in-law received the biggest cheer when he finally managed to clear the limbo stick.

"I still got it," he said proudly. "Let's see you do that in your forties, Edward."

"I was in my forties over sixty years ago."

My father-in-law put his hands on his hips, his eyes narrowing infinitesimally. "Yeah … but can you grow a moustache?"

I stared back blankly. "Um, no."

A triumphant grin spread over Charlie's face. Fortunately, I managed to wipe the smug smirk off his face with my limbo abilities. Sure, I might not be able to grow facial hair, but I was certainly bendy. The bride bowed out well before I or any of my siblings did. She didn't have the Newton Ball tucked away in her cocktail dress, so I had the pleasure of catching her before she hit the floor. Hermione was the next to go, and was followed by Parvati and Hannah Abbott, leaving only vampire contestants. Everyone cheered around us as we battled it out. Alice, of course, was the eventual winner, her tiny frame twisting like a pretzel to earn her victory.

The band finally wound down into the last song of the night, weaving a wild yet haunting melody about a girl and a vampire.

"I do believe I was right," Bertie Bigwig announced, bobbing up and down on his toes. He'd predicted during our first meeting that Bella and I would eventually inspire love songs. As far as I was aware, Queen Mab's latest track was the second, the first being _The Immortals _by Nyx, which I had first heard during the black masquerade on Hallowe'en.

When the song ended, everyone poured out of the tent to gather back on the other side of the river for the firework display. George had made a huge profit from the wedding. Carlisle and Esme had bought out his entire supply of 'Fantasmic Foto Fireworks', the kind that produced giant twinkling replicas of the photos attached to them. My mother had made reprints of all the images she wanted to paint across the sky, slotting each one into the elastic holders on the tubing of the enormous rockets. With Charlie and Renee's help, she managed to compile a fifteen minute slideshow that evoked both awe and laughter from the audience.

First there came a sequence of pictures depicting Bella and me before we met. An image of a smiling brown-eyed baby with a face covered in chocolate exploded overhead, eclipsing the glittering stars in a torrent of sparks and pyrotechnical brilliance. The adorable picture elicited united chuckling from the guests, while earning a quiet smile from the blushing bride. The chuckling transformed into a wave of raucous laughter as the next rocket was unleashed. Unfortunately, the source of everyone's amusement was a humiliating picture of me in the sixties, looking grumpy in flared brown pants and a blue striped shirt.

An impish smile spread over Esme's face; she had finally gotten the chance to experience the one thing every parent wants: the chance to mortify their children in front of their dearest.

Bella guffawed.

"I hated that decade," I grumbled under my breath.

My wife laughed again. "You still looked hot."

She leaned into me as I placed a grateful kiss against her neck.

There were a few more pictures documenting my life through the eras. One in particular―an image from the late seventies when I'd attended a punk festival with Alice and Emmett―evoked a strong reaction from Bella. It was somewhat satisfying to watch her jaw drop as I appeared overhead in biker boots, knee-ripped jeans, a tight white tee, and my favourite leather jacket. I barely managed to hold in my laughter as she silently mouthed the words 'good lord'. Maybe I would have to invest in a new leather jacket sometime in the future.

The witch earned a round of cheers from her old schoolmates as moving pictures of her in her Gryffindor uniform burst into life. She must have been about fourteen, certainly no older, and was sprawled out on a stone floor beside Lee Jordan, laughing hysterically.

"Was that the night he chased you around the castle?" I asked. She nodded wistfully, no doubt reminiscing over her notorious activities at Hogwarts.

Finally, the slideshow turned to images of Bella and me together: prom night, graduation, Valentine's day, and dozens more.

The penultimate image sent the crowds into a frenzy, until everyone was clapping and screaming fanatically at the sky: Bella in her Quidditch robes, her back against my chest, wearing an ecstatic grin as she hugged the Quidditch Cup in the Gryffindor common room. The people around us gushed with excitement as they revived the 'Hand of Swan' victory chant. Even the older witches and wizards joined in, since all of them had heard of it before. They'd probably learnt about the winning move after reading the small article in the Daily Prophet publicising the season's results.

As the twinkling image fizzled out, making room for the final firework of the night, my hold on Bella tightened. Her fingers, in turn, gripped my hands more firmly as they locked together over her abdomen.

Esme had certainly wasted no time in printing the wedding photos, not that digital imagery took long to put onto paper nowadays. In a magnificent fusillade of silvery stars, a picture from mine and Bella's first dance as a married couple erupted across the inky heavens. I looked so happy and content, gazing down at the vision that was my wife. Of course, Bella looked radiant, but a camera lens would never be able to capture her beauty as effectively as my immortal eyes. Nevertheless, I wanted more than anything to stamp the portrait onto the celestial canvas―to suspend it there for all eternity so everyone would see. If the gods could find a place for the venerated hero Orion, why couldn't I do the same for Bella?

The guests surged towards us as the display ended, hands reaching in from every direction to ruffle our hair; and, then, before we knew what was happening, we were suddenly being thrust towards the house, ushered along to the sound of hooraying and wolf-whistles.

The guests filed into the living room, where they formed an aisle leading to the fireplace. There were no suitcases waiting for us when we arrived; all our things had already been transported to our destination, courtesy of Alice.

Bella's teary-eyed mother rushed forth to embrace her daughter. The witch could barely get a word in edgeways as Renee gushed about how perfect the day had been. After placing a kiss on Bella's cheek, my mother-in-law finally released her, but only after Bella promised to call before once we got back from our trip.

The witch then scanned the room for her father, craning her neck to see over the heads of the guests. I patted her on the shoulder and pointed to the corner, where Charlie had huddled himself out of view behind Embry and Seth. The moment Bella spotted him, she rushed across the room to bid him goodbye, flying into his arms.

"Oh, Dad!"

"There, now. You don't want to be hanging around here. You have a honeymoon to start." It was easy to see that Charlie wasn't used to emotional displays. He seemed a little awkward with everyone's eyes on him and his daughter.

"I love you forever, Dad," Bella told him. "Don't forget that."

"You too, Bells. Always have, always will." He kissed her cheek at the time that Bella kissed his. "Call me."

"Soon," she promised.

"And don't go disappearing on me after you change. I know I might have to wait a while, but I still want to see you."

"You will, and we can always use the spy-band for the first year. Edward is going to let me borrow it. There's a mirror on my bedside table that I've enlarged for you. Keep it in the living room, OK?"

Charlie beamed. "Sure thing. Now, go on, get out of here."

He put on a brave face as he gently urged Bella back into my arms.

The witches and wizards all raised their wands as we walked towards the fireplace, shooting roses over our heads as we passed. My family was waiting for us at the end of the aisle, each ready to embrace us. Alice handed a small purse to Bella, telling her it held her wand and a few other essentials.

_I also packed the astronomical clock that Carlisle gave Bella for her birthday, Edward. Jasper said it was important, and that you would understand, though he won't tell me why. _She looked a little miffed at that. No doubt she would be speculating over our strange behaviour with Rosalie later.

I nodded my thanks, before hugging her goodbye.

My golden haired sister was the last of the family to wish Bella and I well.

"Have a good time," she said, her tone sincere.

"We will," I replied, smiling back at her. With that, she kissed us both on the cheek, before holding out the bag of floo powder. As I plunged my fist in to grab a handful, my eyes caught the rose-shaped ring that Bella had given her for Christmas, carefully placed on her index finger. The flecks of gold―solidified Felix Felicis―glinted against the red coral, seeming to wish us luck.

With nothing more to say, I tossed the emerald powder into the amber flames, watching as they suddenly turned green, before stepping straight into them, pulling Bella with me. A hundred smiling faces were glancing our way as we gave our final wave. Then, with no more than a few simple words, the current of the Floo network snatched us away, and the voices of our friends and family were replaced bywith the mighty roar of the rainbow vortex.

I kept a tight hold on Bella's hand as we sped towards our destination. The pressure of the current vibrated against my skin, causing my bones to tingle. As usual, hundreds of fireplaces whizzed by above and below, left and right before we finally reached our stop.

After Bella stumbled out of the fireplace, I caught her before she could hit the floor. She arranged herself quickly, smoothing out the creases in her dress, before looking up to take in her surroundings. She didn't have much luck, of course, struggling to see anything in the darkness. I left her side just for a moment to turn on the lights, and was rewarded with a delicate gasp when she finally had light to see by.

The double-height living area we had arrived in was all gleaming ceramic tiles and white walls―my family's preferred style. The pale-on-pale colour scheme had been expertly mixed with hefty eucalyptus posts and beams, pivoting glass doors, richly hued wood pieces and plump white sofas to create a dramatic, yet homely, layout.

After Bella had finished marvelling at the interior, she turned her eyes to the lengthy glass wall at the front of the house, and gazed out onto the veranda, beyond which there lay the glimmering ocean, extending out toward the horizon beneath a partially obscured moon.

"Wow."

"I'm glad you're impressed," I told her, hugging her from behind. She seemed to remember something then, turning quickly to face me.

"Edward, when we were back at the house, I'm not sure that I heard you right. Did you say 'Isle Esme?'"

At that, I laughed. "I did."

The girl blinked, her mouth forming words that she couldn't seem to get out.

"Cat got your tongue, Bella?" I teased.

Her lips pursed in mock irritation. "Are you seriously telling me that Esme owns an island? An actual island?"

I nodded, biting my lip to hold back the laughter. Bella was cute when she was shocked. "Carlisle bought it for her. She kindly offered to let us use it."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," Bella said once she'd recovered.

"No, you shouldn't. Now …" I lunged forward to scoop her up, my arms curling beneath her back and knees. Bella squealed, failing to anticipate the sudden move.

"Mr Cullen, what on earth are you doing?"

"Keeping with tradition, Mrs Cullen. I'm not going to be denied the opportunity to carry you just because we didn't cross the threshold."

Bella giggled. "You're so old school, Edward."

"That and thorough." I took her on a tour of the house to show her where everything was, and explained the location of the isle itself when she enquired after its whereabouts. I agreed to take her to the mainland, too. It would be criminal, after all, to deny her the opportunity to visit Rio when we were mere miles from the Brazilian coast.

The two of us sank into silence as I flicked on the last set of lights. I wasn't oblivious to her accelerating heart. The moment she clapped eyes on the enormous white bed at the centre of the room, her pulse flew into overdrive, banging against her temples like a frightened little scout raising an alarm. The sudden scent of adrenaline flooded the room as Bella's body responded to the sight before her, making her natural perfume all the more potent.

I set her on her feet by the large ottoman at the foot of the bed, upon which my sister had placed a case containing toiletries and essentials. A bead of perspiration formed on the nape of Bella's neck as she reached out to touch the billowing mosquito netting. I quickly swiped it away, realising that the room would be too warm for her after having the sun's rays on the windows all day. After spending so much time away from Phoenix, she was no longer acclimatised to warm temperatures and would probably be uncomfortable in the stuffy heat.

"It's a little hot in here," I admitted apologetically. "I thought … that would be best." I could barely form the words I needed as the stage fright suddenly kicked in. If my heart hadn't stopped decades ago, it would have leapt out of my chest and run for the hills on its little veiny legs.

_Get a grip, Edward! This is Bella. Don't be such a tool._

"Thorough," Bella murmured under her breath, to which I gave a nervous chuckle.

"I tried to think of everything that would make this … easier."

Bella swallowed loudly, still facing away from me.

I was at a loss as to what I should do next. Suddenly, however, Jasper's words echoed in my head, giving me an idea.

'_If you include enough heavy petting, by the time you get into _really_ deep water, she'll have relaxed enough that it won't hurt as much.'_

_Deep water … That's exactly what I need. _"I was wondering," I said slowly, "if … first … maybe you'd like to take a midnight swim with me?" I took a deep breath then, hoping it would relax me, if only a little. Though I didn't feel it, I sounded more at ease when I next spoke. "The water will be very warm. This is the kind of beach you approve of."

"Sounds nice," said Bella, her voice breaking.

_Perhaps I should offer her a few minutes alone. _"I'm sure you'd like a human minute or two … It's been a long day."

She nodded woodenly, and I decided that suggesting some privacy had been the right call to make.

My lips brushed against her throat, just below her ear. Despite her overheated skin, she shivered at the contact.

"Don't take _too _long, Mrs Cullen." She jumped a little as my lips brushed down her neck to the tip of her shoulder. "I'll wait for you in the water."

I left her then, shrugging out of my shirt as I walked over to the rotating glass door that opened out onto the veranda.

How I'd made it through the last five minutes without dying of panic, I would never know. My acting skills had suggested otherwise, but inside, I was having a major freak-out! I could hardly breathe for the crushing terror that had suddenly settled over me, and somehow I had to get it together before Bella walked out of those doors in all her exquisite glory.

I kicked at the sand as I marched back and forth along the beach, tugging at my hair. "Crap, crap crap, double crap!"

_Arrrrrrrrrgh! What the heck am I going to do?_

"OK, Edward, get it together. You can do this. There's a gorgeous soon to be naked girl in there and all you have to do is what millions of people have managed to do before. Not to Bella, of course," I added, growling at the thought of other men with _my _wife, before slapping myself across the face for being an idiot. "It can't be that difficult really, right? In-out, in-out and all that. What's not to get?"

I stopped myself then, and decided enough was enough. I slipped out of the rest of my clothes, casually draping them over one of the slanting palm trees lining the beach. Once I was completely naked, I wandered into the water. When I heard the creak of the bathroom door a moment later, I hastily dived beneath the calm surface to avoid being seen like some kind of ridiculous insect scurrying beneath a rock.

_She might spot me through the window, _I told myself, before I realised just how ridiculous that sounded, considering what we were planning to do. Nevertheless, I remained underwater for a good five minutes. The ocean muffled the noises coming from the surface, which helped to calm me more than I would have believed possible. The sound of Bella's heartbeat couldn't penetrate my watery sanctuary. Normally I would call that a bad thing, but her emotional state often affected my own, so hearing it now would only refuel my anxiety. In the quiet of the sea, however, I could finally gather my courage.

When my head broke the surface, I felt much calmer.

Judging by the sounds coming from inside the house, Bella was taking a shower. Was that the standard female procedure before consummating a marriage? It seemed a little strange, especially as she was about to join me in a swim. Women were strange creatures.

My anxiety gradually turned to excitement and then impatience as I waited for my wife to make her appearance. I suddenly felt as if I were at the top of a cliff, waiting to jump. The initial fear of the fall had faded, and now I wanted nothing more than to leap over the edge.

I inhaled sharply as the water cut off, listening for the sounds of Bella's footsteps. I heard what must have been a towel brush against her skin, and wondered if she would decide to put anything else on before coming out to meet me. I felt my brow furrow as she came to a halt.

What was she doing now?

When her breathing suddenly began to accelerate, I wondered whether _I_ should go to _her_ instead. She was on the verge of hyperventilation. If she didn't calm down soon, I'd be left with no choice. I bit my lip as I heard her lower herself to the bathroom floor, deciding I would give her a few more minutes.

_No need to overreact, Edward. She's bound to be nervous._

When I heard her murmur to herself a couple of minutes later, I had to smile.

"Don't be a coward," she whispered, before scrambling to her feet. I braced myself at the sound of her determined march, my palms brushing the glassy surface as I fixed my eyes on the moon above.

A third of it was already invisible, the other two thirds were blood red. Only a sliver of silver remained as the orb moved closer to total eclipse. On the other side of the Earth, Venus would be making her path across the sun, so close to perfect alignment with the three other spheres.

I didn't move a muscle as Bella's feet made contact with the sand. She paused just a little to the right, so I took it that she was by the palm tree where I'd left my clothes. Heat pooled in my insides as I listened out for the slip of fabric. It didn't happen straight away, much to my disappointment, and I began to think that Bella would be hiding behind her towel for the rest of the night. It wasn't long, however, before I detected the faint sound of friction as it fell away.

I wish I'd been able to hear what was going on in that head of hers. All her shyness seemed to have transformed into strong resolve within the space of a heartbeat, and she didn't hesitate once after exposing herself. Instead, Bella walked out to meet me, a happy sigh leaving her lips as the warm swell hit her toes. I heard it lapping against her body as she carefully waded through the gentle current. It seemed to take an eternity for her to reach me, but, finally, she was at my side, her hand hovering lightly over mine, barely touching.

"Strange," she said, looking up at the moon, too, "but beautiful."

"It's all right," I answered, unimpressed. I had seen dozens of lunar eclipses in my lifetime, and so far I had spied nothing in the heavens to rival Bella's loveliness. She was in a league of her own. I turned to face her then, finally allowing my starving eyes to settle on the thing they craved the most.

There were no words to describe Bella's beauty. My imagination had not done her justice. In the dim light of the fading moon, she was a vision. Her thick, wet hair looked black against her shimmering skin, which was as white as mine in the night. It fell down over her shoulders to her waist, partially concealing the parts of her I had fantasized about for so long.

"I wouldn't use the word _beautiful _though," I told her. "Not with you standing here in comparison."

Bella half-smiled, then raised her free hand to place it over my heart. The contact sent small yet intense jolts of electricity down through my skin and into my bones, and I shivered at the thought of what would come later. My breath was rougher now. The urge to crush Bella to my chest was all too great.

"I promised we would try," I whispered, suddenly tense. "If … if I do something wrong, if I hurt you, you must tell me at once."

Bella nodded soberly, keeping her eyes on mine. She took another step through the waves and leaned her head against my chest.

"Don't be afraid," she murmured. "We belong together."

I was instantly overcome by the truth of her words. Against all odds, we were here, together. We'd survived everything that had been thrown at us. How could I doubt us now? We were perfect. This night was perfect … would be perfect.

I wrapped my arms around her then, holding her against me, hot and cold―two sides of a coin. Every cell in my body was humming with desire, burning like paper.

"Forever," I agreed, before pulling us gently into deeper water.

Bella wound her legs around me when the sea grew too deep for her. My shoulders were still an inch or so above the surface when that happened. I shivered as her pelvis pressed against the flat of my stomach, and slipped my hands beneath her thighs to offer her more support. She sighed into my mouth as I gently pressed my lips to hers in a kiss that started off gentle. Every touch added more heat to it though, fuelling the desire that had been gradually building for over two years.

Bella's hands raked through my hair, her nails dragging lightly over my skull. That, combined with the feel of her slender body, was enough to elicit a low growl, non-threatening but guttural.

The sound seemed to encourage Bella all the more. A second later, her tongue darted out to swipe across my lower lip, while her hands moved lower to my neck. Mine, meanwhile, were moving higher, exploring the underside of her silky legs, until I reached another area that I'd only touched in the folds of my unconscious fantasies. This Bella, however―the Bella of reality―was once again far superior to anything my mind could conjure.

A sharp gasp pierced the quiet as she broke the kiss, pressing herself more firmly against my hands as I held her behind. Her back arched and, in turn, forced her chest against my own with increased pressured. It couldn't have been more than ten minutes before I decided I couldn't take anymore.

I had to have her.

That sudden resolution immediately propelled me back in the direction of the shore. I cradled Bella the whole way, my hands gently squeezing her as I lifter her fully out of the water. She threw her head back again, revelling in the contact. And, god, she looked glorious! If I'd known beforehand the expressions she would wear tonight, I would have caved a long time ago.

I didn't stop until I reached the palm tree. Once there, I gently lowered Bella to the sand, staring into her eyes as I brushed the hair back over her shoulder. There would be nothing now to obscure the perfect lines of her body. She must have realised that too, because, impossibly, her heart increased its pace. She gulped as I stepped away, her eyes only travelling lower after mine did.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I registered the sharp sound of air flooding my lungs as I inhaled a sudden breath.

There were no words to describe the sight of Bella naked. 'Perfection' didn't seem to cover it. Every soft curve and sharp edge looked as if it had been crafted by a master―a genius beyond the capabilities of history's greatest artists.

"Bella," I whispered, drinking in her image, "you're so beautiful."

Her eyes snapped back up to meet mine. The scale of my awe left no room for anything else. Although I knew her eyes had performed a similar inspection of my body, I couldn't find it in myself to feel self-conscious. I had no reason to, of course―one of the many perks of being a vampire―but I'd expected it regardless. I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, when I realised my complete comfort.

Bella's reaction was similar to my own, it seemed. Her eyes once again dropped below my chest and down past my waist, widening the more they descended, until they rivalled saucers in size. I felt my lips twitch as I suppressed a smirk at her expression. It was almost comical.

"Um … Edward … are they always that … that …"

I gave a low chuckle as she trailed off. Bella had been trying to push my buttons for over a year; it was sometimes all too easy to forget how innocent she actually was. Still, I knew what she was trying to ask.

"Not usually," I responded, my voice deep and throaty. "The venom is designed to … enhance us."

A cheeky smirk suddenly graced my wife's lips. "Interesting word choice."

When she finally managed to pull her gaze away from my groin, she looked just as amused as she did intimidated. We laughed at the same time, the oddly timed humour completely eradicating any remaining tension.

Bella's eyes danced in the red hued light as I stepped back towards her. Now that her fears had evaporated, her heart had slipped back into a steady rhythm. She kept her eyes on my face as I reached over her shoulder to pluck the towel from the trunk of the palm tree.

First, I pressed the fabric to her hair, allowing it to soak up the majority of the moisture trapped in strands. When that was done, I turned my attention to the rest of her. Her eyes fluttered shut as I slowly began tracing it over her skin, wiping away the leftover droplets. My brothers' advice could have been no better. Taking things steadily did wonders. Already, Bella's muscles were beginning to relax, unwinding as I religiously followed each line of her body, leaving no spot untouched. When I had finished with her arms and torso, I lowered myself to my knees, repeating the process with her hips and legs. More than once, I found my eyes wandering, just as hers had mere minutes ago.

After I was done, I laid a dozen kisses across carefully selected areas of her body, worshipping her in the moonlight. More than once, her hands tugged at my hair, while her breathing grew faster and shallower.

Her scent swirled through the air, growing in intensity the more her excitement increased.

I quickly towelled myself off, taking no more than a few seconds to rid my skin of sand and salt water. Then, I flung the material to one side, before lifting my bride off the floor to carry her back to the master bedroom.

The bed didn't look so scary this time around. In fact, it was a rather welcomed sight. After pulling back the sheets, I carefully positioned Bella on the mattress, crawling over her warm body a moment later.

I stroked the hair back from her face as I kissed her, my free hand moving lower. Her fingers traced my collarbone as I performed a thorough exploration of previously visited territory, stroking and thumbing and nudging with firm yet gentle pressure, before finally moving lower to the uncharted plains of Isabella Cullen.

Whether Bella remembered or had completely forgotten my request that she opened her mind, I decided against bringing it up. It was her choice to make, not mine. Besides, I was thoroughly enjoying eliciting her soft moans all by myself. With none of her thoughts to guide me, it was a massive boost to my confidence, not to mention my ego, to know that I could do this on my own.

Her already shallow breathing grew laboured as my hands manipulated her body.

"Ungh! Please," she pleaded softly. "Please, Edward."

The sight of her writhing on the bed was one I never wanted to forget … one that I never would forget. So far, we had passed only a little time in this way, and I already felt as if I knew her body as well as I did my piano, having located the keys I needed to press to draw from her the sweetest music imaginable.

Her sighs and moans suddenly reached a crescendo, and her back finally arched off the bed, propelled upwards by her rapidly beating heart. I watched and listened in awe as she rode out her high, enjoying the fact that it was _my _name she called in that moment. No one else's.

Mine.

I was used to feeling possessive when it came to Bella, though I had never experienced it to this degree before. Carlisle had told me to prepare for it, but it still came as a shock.

A lazy smile slowly spread across Bella's blissed out face when she next opened her eyes. With my chin rested on her hip, I trailed my fingers over the skin beneath her bellybutton, smirking smugly up at her.

"Oh, shut up," she laughed, whacking my head with a pillow.

"What?" I asked, practically beaming.

"You know what: you're good at everything. Happy?"

"Extremely," I answered, moving upwards until my face was once again level with hers. Wherever Bella had just flown off to, she'd forgotten to bring back her inhibitions. She spread her legs until they were on either side of my hips, her hands trailing down over my back until they dipped below my spine, performing their own explorations.

We were so close to the edge now, so close to the point of no return. Now that I was there on the precipice, I couldn't fathom for the life of me how I had managed to stay away so long.

I shifted my position, curling one hand beneath Bella's head, and the other beneath her left thigh. Her hands moved back up to grip my shoulder-blades. I kissed her once, keeping it sweet, so as not to lose my focus. She smiled up at me when I pulled away, not even a hint of fear showing in her serene expression.

"Remember what I said," I reminded her.

"Promise," she replied, stroking the ridges of my spine.

I took a deep breath then, readying myself for what I was about to do, before silently asking the question we had both been waiting for me to ask for over a year. Bella gave a brief nod, her peaceful mien never faltering once as she granted me permission.

With one last kiss, I pressed into her.

The heat hit me like a freight train. It was like walking into fire without getting burnt.

Bella hissed almost instantly, the sharp sound halting my movements. As much as I wanted the experience to be as smooth as possible, there was only so much I could do to allay some of the discomfort. Even so, that didn't stop the panic that flooded me when her face clenched with pain, or when the scent of fresh blood undulated through the air.

"Bella?"

She didn't answer me verbally, but I felt her shield crumble away as she inhaled a series of long, deep breaths through her nose. _Just stay still for a moment, OK?_

"OK," I answered, voice thick. We laid there for a few minutes or so, connected but still. I caressed her cheekbones with the back of my fingers as we both adjusted to the new sensation. She kept her mind open for me so that I would know when it was safe to continue. The fiery sting that had first afflicted her gradually diminished into a dull ache, soothed almost completely after a couple of minutes by my wintry skin.

_It's a good thing you're cold, _she told me.

"Call me your personal icepack," I smiled, shifting a hand back beneath her thigh. With that, I recommenced my movements, starting slow at first, essentially 'testing the waters'.

Nothing had ever felt this good. I felt as if I were drowning in her. It was a struggle to hold back as much as I did.

She didn't put her shield back up. Honestly, I think she completely forgot about it. Only when I responded to one of her thoughts, holding her tighter when she wished that I would, did she actually remember that I could hear her. Even then, she was so overjoyed at how easily I complied that she kept her thoughts open to me.

I touched her everywhere she wanted me to, caressing her chest, her thighs, all her erogenous zones, unable to get enough of my heroin. All the while, she sighed and gasped and mewed and tugged at my hair, her body so incredibly pliable under my sure hands.

_Tighter, Edward. Hold me tighter._

And so I did. She threw her head back as I picked up my rhythm, our breathing becoming more and more erratic. Through the extension of her thoughts, I could feel the knot building in her abdomen, catching fire, until it was eventually setting me alight as well. We were so close to edge, so close, standing in the path of a tidal wave, willing it forwards, faster and faster.

I could feel the growl threatening to break up my throat, an ancient carnal lust meshing perfectly with crushing, angry love.

Bella's heart pounded against my chest as if it were my own. She curled her hands around my neck, pulling my face to hers in a fierce, aching kiss.

_Oh god._

I bit back the growl.

_Oh god, oh god!_

Bella threw her head back for the final time, her eyes clenching in ecstasy as she cried out. "Ungh!" _Edward!_

That was all it took to push me over the edge.

I pressed my face into the pillow, practically roaring into the cotton. Bella didn't even register the noise; she was already lost to her bliss. My teeth bit down on the fabric as the physical and emotional rapture washed over me. It extended to each fibre of tissue, cleansing every cell, every synapse, every piece of me.

Nothing in the world could have prepared me for the mind-bending intensity of that moment―for the sheer force of it. Making love to Bella was nothing short of a religious awakening. Blasphemous or not, she was the only thing I worshipped now. No star suspended in the ethers could outshine her, dull as they were in comparison. For years I had been searching for heaven, finally finding it through Bella: my own personal compass.

Feathers surged around me as I finally drew to a stop. I didn't need the air, but I sucked large mouthfuls into my lungs regardless. I turned my face into Bella's neck then, inhaling the perfume of her skin. She played with my hair while I nuzzled her throat, humming lightly to herself.

I felt the corners of my mouth twitch upwards as I measured her peaceful mood. It was like the calm after the crazily powerful, all-consuming storm.

She felt the movement against her skin and asked, _What's so funny?_

I lifted my head to look at her, feeling as if my face might crack with the force of my smile. "Nothing. I'm just thinking that if you sounded any happier, I might not be able to get my head through the door."

My comment was met with tinkling laughter, which I immediately joined in with.

"Hmm … but then I could keep you here, and you'd never be able to leave."

"True, very true," I said, examining my nails to avoid looking at her. If I met her gaze, I wouldn't be able to maintain the casual charade.

Bella chuckled. "In that case … Edward, you were incredible."

I arched an eyebrow, still not looking at her. Her body shook with laughter as she continued to play with my hair. "Sooo amazing."

"Uh-huh."

"Absolutely perfect."

"Keep going."

"My husband, the sexpert."

"Indeed, the se―wait, what?

Bella threw back her head, failing to notice how the movement caused little white feathers to shoot into the air in puffs. Her pealing laughter was infectious. "A sexpert," she explained, "as in sex expert."

"I understood the term. I was just a little taken aback by it."

"Why?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I just never thought I would hear it being applied to me … to me and my sexpertise."

Now that we'd finally consummated our marriage, giddiness was quick to overcome us. Bella hit me with an undamaged pillow, giggling as the smell of endorphins wafted off her skin.

"Is your head big enough, yet?" she asked.

"Yes, for now." With that, I finally eased out of her, breaking the connection.

A sigh of content left her lips as she settled her head on my chest. I watched her sink into sleep, feeling happier and more satisfied that I ever had in my lifetime.

She had been right all along: we were perfect.

**A/N: Soooooooo … the honey moon. I wasn't crazy about the way SM skipped over all the details, but I also didn't particularly want this to turn into some kind of graphic porno. I wanted it to be … juicy, yet tasteful. Hopefully, I hit the right balance. *Crosses fingers* Let me know. Also, did you like the pillow talk? Pillow talk is always nice.**

**Thanks!**


	3. Of Sirens and Sphinxes

**A/N: *Scuffs shoe while twiddling thumbs. Pouts. Uses sad eyes.* Forgive me? I've been out of it for a ridiculous amount of time, mainly because of the demands of my career. I know it's no excuse, but after immense pressure at work, I lost my enthusiasm for writing, and it took me a long while to regain it. I hope you won't give up on me. I WILL finish this story, no matter how long it takes, even if it kills me. I hope you'll all review after reading this – it's the best motivation, and it's nice to know that people are still interested in this story. Thanks a bunch. xxx**

**EPOV**

Bella had barely been asleep for five minutes when I shifted away from her. I didn't intend on going very far, just to the bottom off the bed to grab her purse from where it sat on the ottoman. As soon as I had it in my hands, I shuffled back up until I was level with her, and then began fishing around the bag's contents.

It contained her wand, a tub of strange yellow ointment called 'Weasley's Bruise Healing Paste', the Newton Ball, a magic pouch bursting with galleons, a wallet full of Brazilian reais, a pack of cards and an astronomical clock. Ignoring the other items, I removed the clock.

The golden outer casing was engraved with a very intricate pattern: a sun emitting twelve wavy rays that narrowed at the tips to dagger points. The sun's main body formed a circular switch that, when triggered, released the lock on the side of the device. Hesitantly, I pressed it.

Beside me, Bella sighed in her sleep. She looked so content, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Of course, she had no reason not to be. She didn't know, as I did, that every second we were flying closer to danger―that every tick of the clock forced us one step closer to a deadly enemy. It was a good thing, though. Knowing would only frighten her, and that was the last thing I wanted. After everything, she deserved a break from constant fear and worrying.

Eleven spheres varying in size and colour rose into the air as I pushed back the lid. The base above which they were magically suspended was adorned with one dial after another: one for the hour, one for the day, one for the month, and one displaying the positions of the zodiacal constellations. The dials themselves didn't interest me; I only had eyes for the model sun, moon and planets, all of which were arranged in their relative positions. The clock was an impressive tool. It certainly made it easy to track the Earth's movement through the solar system.

The instrument showed that the lunar eclipse was almost over. Already the moon was spinning its way out of its primary's shadow, just as Venus was moving steadily out of alignment with her sister planet – the Earth. The 'event' had passed, but I still couldn't understand why my union with Bella had to coincide with such a rare astronomical event.

My eyes dropped to the witch's abdomen, which was partially concealed by Egyptian cotton sheets. Could it really be that Renesmee was already on her way? Was the prophecy true? I wanted to believe it more than anything, but the disappointment would crush me if I turned out to be wrong. Nevertheless, I couldn't stop my staring. My eyes were riveted to the girl sprawled out beside me, futilely searching for the tiniest piece of evidence to bolster my blossoming hope.

Obviously, the study was pointless. Whether our actions that night would bring about our daughter, I didn't know, but it was silly to be on the lookout so early for signs of pregnancy. I was impatient though. Illogical or not, I knew that my vigilance would continue well into our vacation.

Eventually, I put the clock away and curled my left arm back under Bella's shoulders. She sighed again and turned into me, using my chest for a pillow.

After the life-altering experience that was our 'first time', I had expected the euphoria to last the entire night. Unfortunately, that didn't turn out to be the case.

Confusion crept in at quarter-past three in the morning when faint shadows started to form across Bella's milky limbs. At first, I assumed it to be a trick of the light, but as the barely visible smudges darkened, it dawned on me all too quickly that I'd been wrong.

I'd hurt her.

My heart would've stopped there and then if it hadn't already done so. Slowly but surely, the shadows spread, forming what must have been a dozen contusions where my fingers had been only a few hours ago. Digesting razorblades couldn't have been more painful than the realisation that I had somehow ruined what had seemed like the perfect end to the perfect day. Immediately, my mind flung itself into a frenetic search for answers, desperately recalling each moment of intimacy we'd shared during the eclipse. Like film under a harsh glare, images of Bella burned the backs of my closed lids: fingers clutching the bed-sheets, toes curling in ecstasy, eyes rolling back…

_God, yes!_

Had she really been in pain?

_Please!_

She certainly hadn't shown it.

_Hold me tighter._

Quite the opposite in fact. Sure, the first couple of minutes hadn't been great for her, but that was inevitable for most virgins. Aside from that, every single thought she'd had had echoed her bliss. So why the hell was she suddenly black and blue? The physical evidence contradicted everything I'd heard in her head. The question was: which one should I trust―her body or her mind?

I lost count of how many times I raked my fingers through my hair as I deliberated. If I'd been human, my lips would surely have been cut to shreds after the way I gnawed at them. In the end, there was only one sensible conclusion: if Bella had been in pain, there was no way she would have been able to conceal it from me, not while her shield was down at least. How she hadn't felt it, I'd never quite understand, but my fragile little human, bruised though she may be, hadn't registered any pain whatsoever; and so, rather than making a big deal out of something that apparently wasn't, I decided to do the smart thing.

Bella's sleep remained unbroken as I meticulously tended to her bruises, gently covering the purple patches with the gloopy substance I'd found in her purse. My nose wrinkled at the odour; it was a weird kind of rancid―rotten eggs and asbestos―but I put up with it for Bella's sake.

I wasn't sure whether I wanted to thank Alice for packing the healing paste, or strangle her for not telling me to expect this. Her visions didn't grant her access to the minds of the people she spied on, so for all she knew, Bella had been in agony the whole time I'd held her. She should have warned me!

Eventually, I managed to expel all thoughts of her from my mind. I refused to spend the night thinking about how I was going to throttle my sister, especially when there happened to be an absolutely stunning witch lying beside me … naked.

For the first time ever the insatiable schoolboy and gentleman on my shoulders were uniting together, intent on expressing their jubilation. While the schoolboy executed one leaping fist-pump after another, the gentleman performed a series of backflips, screaming, 'Hallelujah, huzzah, yip-yip-yippee, the blessed day has finally arrived!' And it didn't stop there – I'm pretty sure at one point they were doing the rhumba together across my collarbone. They continued to goof around while I studied the perfect curves of my unclothed wife.

It wasn't long before I began to see the effects of the paste. Just as the tub advertised, the bruises vanished within an hour, and when I finally wiped away the gunk with a damp cloth, I found nothing but milky, unblemished skin.

As I settled back down to rest, I made two easy decisions: firstly, I was going to use up all of the strength-removing sweets by the end of the holiday; secondly, George would soon be receiving a humungous donation to fund any future experimentation. If it weren't for his inventions, the rest of the honeymoon might have been a disaster. I probably would have refused outright to touch Bella until her transformation, preferring instead to wallow in self-hate like an idiot.

Eventually, dawn's rosy fingers poked over the horizon, greeting the cloudless sky and the glassy expanse of the Atlantic. As the sun ascended further into the heavens, I grew more and more appreciative of the billowing mosquito-netting surrounding the bed, which effectively softened the glaring light as it spilled in from outside. I didn't want it to waken Bella until she was fully rested.

It was quarter to eleven before she started to stir. My fingers traced lazy patterns up and down her back as her breathing eased out of the slow, deep rhythms of sleep. She kept her eyes closed at first.

"What's so funny?" I asked when she laughed abruptly. In answer to my question, her stomach gave an impatient rumble.

"You just can't escape being human for very long," she responded.

I chuckled, my eyes fixed on the gauzy canopy above us, while I continued to perform my ministrations along her spine. "We should get you something to eat. I don't want you going hungry on me. You're going to need your energy."

That got her attention. Her head snapped up in an instant, her chocolate eyes suddenly inspecting my face. Her curiosity, combined with the fact that her haystack hair was knotted with feathers, made it almost impossible not to laugh.

She frowned when I refused to elaborate, her lips forming an adorable pout as she poked at my chest. "Well?"

"Well what?" I asked, biting back a smirk.

"Don't play dumb, Mr Cullen. Why am I going to need my energy?"

She didn't have time to react as I shot out from under her. A playful squeal rang in my ears as I pinned her to the bed, flipping her onto her back in a blindingly fast manoeuvre.

"I can think of a few reasons."

My wife's expression was brilliant. An eye-crinkling grin erupted over her face. "You want to?"

What kind of question was that? Of course I wanted to. I crushed my lips to hers in answer, hungrily inhaling her heavenly, floral scent. She was as responsive as ever, the blood surging faster and faster in her veins as her heart flew into a frenzied pounding, turning her cheeks a delicious shade of pink.

I couldn't have been kissing her for more than ten seconds when her stomach grumbled again in protest.

_Oi, _it said, _I'm still here, you know. Feed me!_

Bella groaned as I pulled away, seeming resentful of her body's requirements.

"You just can't escape being human for too long, eh?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me."

I threw her a smirk and rolled off the bed, leaving her sprawled out on her side, one hand supporting her head as she rested her weight on her elbow, the rest of her body hidden beneath the sheets.

The moment I was upright, the full length of my naked front completely visible, a low gasp broke through Bella's lips, before she stopped breathing altogether.

I had the satisfaction of hearing her mouth pop open as I turned my back to her, moving slower than necessary in the direction of the wardrobe. How I managed not to laugh at her blatant eyeballing, I'll never know.

"Enjoying the view, Mrs Cullen?" I teased, selecting the first pair of shorts my hands touched.

"Wha?"

I threw back my head with a snort. The sound seemed to startle the witch, who took a few seconds to blink herself out of her trance.

"Something funny?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

"The fact that you're ogling me. Are you quite finished?"

"No, I am not. Now, be quiet."

For the briefest of moments, I was completely taken aback, stunned by her bold reply. A second later, I was howling with laughter, unable to believe that just over a year ago the very same Bella had been unable to get my top button unfastened without blushing.

"You're incorrigible," I said finally, pulling on my khaki shorts. Bella scowled at the fabric. "And so very human."

The witch's eyebrows rose halfway up her head. A glint of amusement was there in the sparkling pools of her chocolaty irises, but there was something else too―the promise of mischief bred from her rebellious nature. A moment later, she decidedly sprung from the mattress and, as naked as the day she was born, headed in the direction of the bathroom, her hips swaying seductively as she went.

My eyes almost bulged out of their sockets at the mere sight of her. She must have known what my response would be, intelligent as she was. She must have realised that her slender figure exerted some kind of pull that I was powerless to resist. Forget vampires, I was like Frankenstein's monster―arms held out in front of me, mouth completely agape―as I succumbed to the overwhelming magnetism of her perfect derrière.

A stream of pealing giggles broke the air as my arms closed around her waist, pulling her back against my chest.

"May I ask what you're doing?" she playfully demanded.

My hands moved lower, hovering over her hips as I bent my head to lay a kiss on her neck. "I was going to make you breakfast, but the sight of you proved far too tempting."

Her lips twitched at the victory. "Is that so?"

"Uh-huh."

"What do you plan to do instead?" Bella asked. She spun to face me, her posterior turning into my waiting hands as a direct result. She clearly hadn't intended it to happen, for she blinked in shock as my chilly palms brushed her smooth skin, but she aired no complaints. I certainly didn't! In fact, I stared defiantly back at her as she returned my gaze with an astounded expression. A moment later, her shock melted into amusement.

"Edward, your hands are on my butt."

"Your butt is on my hands I think you'll find."

At my reply, she threw back her head, bellowing with laughter. "Are you telling me you're not enjoying this?"

"Of course not," I stated, gently squeezing her. "I'm merely suggesting my hands were there first, a fact I am now taking full advantage of."

"And you say _I'm_ incorrigible." She earned a swat for that―a light one, of course. I didn't want to injure her; I was simply playing along. Despite being unhurt, Bella's jaw dropped open in surprise, before her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Edward Cullen, was that a spank? I thought masochism was more your thing."

Now it was my turn to laugh. I practically howled at her comment, feeling giddier and more flirtatious than I had in a long time. "Things change, love."

"Evidently."

It had been a waste of time putting on the shorts, because they came straight back off again. Before we made it to the shower, though, Bella caught sight of her reflection for the first time that morning and stopped short.

"What the heck?" she exclaimed in horror. Her hand reached up to pluck a feather from her hair. It wouldn't come loose, though, nor would the others it seemed. "I look like Big Bird!"

I bit my lip. "A beautiful Big Bird."

"How on earth did I get like this?"

After suppressing a grimace, I tried to make a joke of it and told her that feathers were the latest addition to my already peculiar diet, but she just stared at me like I was insane. Eventually, I was forced to explain that I had sunk my teeth into a pillow, while we had slept together the night before, in an attempt to channel the excesses.

"Channel the excesses?"

I nodded. "So to speak."

"OK." She paused momentarily. I waited for her to continue, worrying when a frown settled over her face. "So … did you … I mean, was it … You enjoyed yourself, didn't you?" Bella bit her lip, her arms crossing defensively over her stomach, as if she were bracing herself for a catastrophic impact.

I stared dumbly back at her. Was she seriously asking me this? Had I not made it painfully obvious that last night was the best thing that had ever happened to me?

I bent until my eyes were level with hers. I had to make her understand. Lifting a hand, I lightly swept the tips of my fingers across her left cheekbone. "Do you feel that?"

She nodded, watching me through guarded eyes.

"Does it feel nice?" Again, she nodded. I lowered my arm to catch her wrist, before lifting her hand to my face, effectively reversing our positions. "Nice doesn't even cover how that feels to me," I told her. "You feel it in the top layer of flesh, but _I _feel it in the deepest part of my bones, and yet you're frightened that last night wasn't somehow the best night of my existence."

Bella grinned. "Really―the best?"

I nodded. "If what you felt at the height of it all were to be multiplied by a hundred, you'd still only experience a tenth of what I did, I'm sure." Gently, I brushed her cheek again. "You think you know pleasure, Bella, but you haven't even scratched the surface."

She shivered at my words, breathing quickly through her mouth. "Is that a 'yes' then?"

I smiled. "Yes―I enjoyed myself. You can't begin to imagine how much."

She beamed at me, her smile brilliant in the bright light of the approaching afternoon.

Once that conversation ended, we attempted to sort out the tangled mess that her hair seemed to have become.

"It's no use," she said finally. "I'm going to have to wash it out."

Naturally, I gallantly volunteered my assistance, as any gentleman would do, and stepped after her into the spray. It didn't take long to work the feathers out once I'd smoothed conditioner over her knotted tresses. She was practically purring as I used my finger to comb through her hair, massaging her scalp now and then. Little by little, the remains of the downy carcass fell to the wet tiles and were washed down the plughole.

After five minutes of showering, Bella's hair was free of feathers. I left her then to finish up, much to her irritation. More than once she tried to tempt me to stay, but her arguments were always undermined by the gremlin in her stomach.

By the time she arrived in the kitchen in a white cotton dress, I had just finished plating up an omelette. The second it was on the table in front of her, she attacked it, wolfing it down faster than I had ever seen her eat.

"I'm not feeding you often enough," I realised with a pang of guilt.

Bella swallowed back her food as I sat down across from her. "I was asleep. This is really good, by the way. Impressive for someone who doesn't eat."

She liked it? _Excellent! _"Food Network," I said, flashing a smile.

"Did Alice stock the fridge as well?"

"No, that was the cleaning crew. I notified them that we were coming and asked them to bring over some groceries. A first for this place. I'll have to ask them to deal with the feathers."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I think you forget I'm a witch. It's already taken care of, silly."

She ate everything, despite pointing out the fact that I'd made enough for two. Obviously, I didn't tell her that that was kind of the point. She thanked me once she finished, leaning over to kiss me. I happily accepted and eagerly kissed her back.

After we finally broke apart, Bella cast a cleaning charm on her plate and the utensils I'd used to make her breakfast. I would have seen to them myself, but she was impatient to get going, so I let her work her magic instead.

A sun-screening spell was next on the agenda. She pointed her wand above her head, waving it three times anti-clockwise, and said, "_Protego Solaris_."

There was a shift in temperature as an invisible shield descended around her, covering her like a parasol. The change was almost imperceptible; a human might not have noticed. In the bubble she had created for herself, the air was a degree cooler than that outside. The enchantment meant that Bella had no use for sun-cream, a fact I resented, since I'd thoroughly enjoyed applying it during our previous vacation in Australia.

We didn't venture more than fifty metres from the house that day, and I rarely strayed more than five feet from Bella. Like a heroin addict, I was utterly hooked. When she wandered into the azure water in one of the scanty bikinis―an emerald halter― that Alice had packed for her, I was never more than a step behind her.

She playfully splashed water at my face, and squealed as I dove under the surface like a shark to pull her under. The schoolboy on my shoulder gave me the thumbs up as I grabbed her by her behind. Even the gentleman was enjoying himself, his eyebrows dancing above a salacious grin. Now that I had a signed marriage certificate, almost anything was acceptable as far as he was concerned.

"That's unfair," Bella spluttered after we resurfaced, trying and failing to appear displeased.

"Why? You splashed me."

"But I can't pull you under."

"Actually, you're wrong. Emmett and Jasper bought a load of strength-removing pills from George. They suggested I use them."

Bella frowned. "Why?"

I shrugged. "It would be nice to be able to completely lose control. I don't want to constantly have to worry that I'm going to slip and hurt you."

I watched her carefully as she chewed her lip. If I had to tell her about the bruises to get her to understand why this was so important I would. Luckily, she accepted my choice without the need for that.

"And you'll be no stronger than a human?" she asked. It was clear from the way her lips twitched that she found the concept somewhat entertaining.

I nodded.

Bella grinned. "Alright, what are we waiting for?"

We waded back out of the water together, our arms latched around one another's waist. She waited by the palm tree where we'd hung our clothes the night before, while I went to retrieve my first pill. Looking down at the little red tablet in the centre of my palm, it was difficult to believe the effects it could have.

Bella quirked an eyebrow―an obvious dare.

Just before I threw the magical sweet into my mouth, it occurred to me that this was potentially a very bad idea. Anything could happen: wild pigs with enormous tusks could suddenly come barrelling out onto the beach and I'd have no way of defending Bella. And sharks! What if a Great White snuck into nearby waters?

_Don't be absurd. First of all, Bella is an animagus―she could eat a pig in a heartbeat and still have room for dessert. A shark would be no match either, not if she had her wand in hand._

The pill dissolved on my tongue, releasing a burst of intense flavour in the process. I expected to feel different after consuming it, but actually felt just the same as always. My body wasn't tingling, nor did I feel as if I would suddenly collapse. The awesome power still surged through every cell in my body. It was there, thrumming and zinging like electricity, begging to be exercised.

"Do you feel any different?" Bella asked.

I shook my head.

She looked around, her eyes darting from left to right, scanning the nearby area, before they eventually stopped on a man-sized boulder a few metres from one of the palm trees. Her lips pursed momentarily and then spread into a smile. She nodded to the rock. "Try to lift that thing."

After a brief study of it, I stupidly concluded that it was no match for me. "OK." _I might struggle with human strength, but surely a boulder weighing a mere tonne won't cause me too much of a problem._

Bella stood off to the side as I wound my arms around the rock. It didn't take me long to realise that only someone of Herculean strength would ever be able to shift it. Needless to say, I failed abysmally. My teeth snapped together, grinding against each other while I struggled uselessly against the magic. I could feel the tendons in my neck straining against the skin that covered them as I release a frustrated growl. Even when I tried to get a better hold on the boulder, my fingers couldn't pierce the surface. Its hard structure easily resisted my pressing hands, refusing to give.

I changed tactics after a few minutes, instead attempting to roll it over the sand. Bella tittered as I nestled my shoulder against the stone. The effort, however, proved futile. My feet sank into the sand as I pushed and, in the end, I was the one that ended up moving, not the rock.

With a grunt I withdrew. Bella was positively delighted. I stared dumbly while she doubled over, eyes bright as she peeked up at me.

"Now you're just like the rest of us," she grinned.

I narrowed my eyes at her and tried not to smile back. "May I remind you that I still have superhuman senses."

Her eyes twinkled with amusement, right before the chocolaty pools expanded into golden irises so large the sclera all but disappeared. Her nose shifted a little, too, until it was more catlike. With her acute feline senses, there was very little to separate us.

"I'm still immortal," I sniffed.

"True," said Bella.

"And my skin is still impenetrable."

The witch nodded.

"So I still technically have the advantage."

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that," she disagreed, twiddling her wand.

I eyed it warily. "What are you going to do with that?" I didn't trust the cheeky smirk that slowly spread across her face. It promised mischief.

"What could you possibly have to worry about?" she asked, taking a step towards me. I instinctively took a step back. "Your skin is still impenetrable, remember?"

"Um." I took another step back, gulping when I backed into the trunk of a palm tree. I wasn't used to feeling vulnerable.

"Am I making you nervous, Mr Cullen?"

"Er, no?" Of course, I was lying. For once, I was the prey, and Bella was staring at me like a lioness would her dinner. She couldn't keep it up though. All of a sudden, she stumbled backwards, clutching her stomach as she giggled hard up at the sky, leaving me frozen by the tree.

"Your face! Priceless!"

I folded my arms over my chest, attempting to summon my best irritated expression. I wasn't very successful; it was always difficult not to smile when Bella was happy or amused. Her laughter transformed abruptly into a surprised squeal as I pounced and tackled her to the sand.

I had her hands pinned above her head before she realised what was happening, straddling her hips so she couldn't move. "You were saying?"

I waited for her shock to dissipate. For a moment or two, she said nothing, and I could tell she was trying to figure out how exactly I'd managed to turn the tables on her so quickly. Finally, however, she huffed. "That wasn't fair."

"On the contrary, it was perfectly fair. Giving up my beyond average strength does not make me effeminate," I argued.

Bella shivered as I bent to skim my nose along her jawline. A stronger shudder ripped down her spine as I moved lower to lightly suck at her neck.

"So you're going to throw me over your shoulder like a caveman?" she asked, eliciting a laugh. I pulled away to stare down at her face. Her chest was rapidly rising and falling, her breathing shallow.

"Maybe later," I replied, flashing my teeth at her. "For now, though, I can think of better things to do."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After much experimentation, Bella and I decided that George's pills were a complete success. Obviously, we had to test them multiple times to ensure the validity of our final conclusion. After all, no scientific experiment can be considered reliable if the variables are not taken into account. And there were _many _variables. I made sure of it.

"I'm not sure that my nightwear counts as an affecting factor, Edward," Bella said one night. She was mouth-watering in the indigo negligée I'd plucked out of the closet for her, which reached no lower than the top of her thigh. Delicate lace and silk crochet ran horizontally across the top of her breasts, meeting in the middle before plunging in a thick vertical strip that intersected the shimmering, satin body.

I no longer cared that my sister had withheld information regarding the wedding night; I was seriously considering buying her a Lamborghini.

I propped myself up on my left elbow to stare at my wife, who had assumed a seductive pose in the doorway, her hands on her hips as she leant against the frame.

"I disagree," I told her. "Lingerie like that has the potential to turn me into a total savage. If I don't suddenly morph into the Mighty Hulk and completely ravage you in the next five minutes, it will be a miracle."

Bella chuckled as she sauntered towards me. "I'm not sure about the Mighty Hulk, but I wouldn't complain if you ravaged me."

'Give the lady what she wants' was the first phrase that came to mind. Being the gentleman I was, I naturally obliged.

Because I considered myself to be a true academic, I was very thorough as far as 'the experiment' went, insisting that time, temperature, height above sea level and time of day were also important, and could easily alter the effectiveness of George's product. Bella agreed, and therefore allowed me to lead her all over the island. We visited waterfalls one day and rock-pools the next, but no matter where we ended up, we always concluded our travels in the very same way.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Over the next couple of weeks, Bella slept longer hours and her appetite increased considerably. To begin with, it occurred to me that I might have been wearing her out, exhausting her with tiring trips across the island. Even when we restricted ourselves to the beach in front of the house, however, Bella never slept for less than eleven hours.

Only because I was looking for it, I noticed the change in Bella's figure as soon as it came.

It was a beautiful Friday morning and the sun's light was dancing along the surface of the calm ocean. There was a light breeze; it carried the salty smell of the sea and the fresh scent of the palm trees into the bedroom as it blew in through the open window.

Bella stretched her limbs as she rose out of her lengthy slumber. She'd kicked the covers away earlier as the temperature rose, in the process revealing a subtle swelling in her abdomen. It was slight―so slight that a human probably wouldn't notice―but it certainly hadn't been there the day before.

_Maybe it's just normal weight gain, _I told myself. _After all, it's too early for her to be showing! _But then I remembered the book my brothers and I had found in Hogwarts' library, which had spoken of accelerated pregnancies as a result of vampire-human copulation.

I didn't have time to think any more on the subject, because Bella opened her eyes.

The cleaning crew were due to arrive that day, so we decided it would be a good time to visit the mainland. Luckily, Alice and Rosalie had packed a large batch of potion, so I didn't have to worry about alerting humans with my rainbow-casting skin.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked as we walked up the winding narrow streets of Santa Teresa in Rio.

"O Quadrado Secreto. It's a concealed market not far from here," I revealed, my eyes lingering on the contours of her collar and shoulders. She was wearing a rust halter-top fastened with delicate gold-chain straps. Tiny wooden beads and textured golden coins trimmed the ruched neckline of the thin jersey-knit garment, creating an elegant yet casual look. Somehow I managed to pull my eyes away before they descended past her denim shorts, to the creamy skin of her slender legs.

_Better to focus on your surroundings, Edward_, I thought to myself. The last couple of weeks had seen my sexual appetite transformed from a mere fire into an insatiable inferno. Even in the bustling streets of Rio, surrounded by hundreds of Brazilians and tourists, I didn't trust myself.

The hilltop district was home to a vibrant community of artists and bohemians. It had a fantastic energy about it, a product of a combination of colourful architecture, spectacular views of the Corcovado and Guanabara Bay, passionate musicians performing on street corners, and, last but not least, friendly locals, all of whom seemed eager to preserve the spirit of Santa Teresa.

We were in no rush; the area and its people were much too interesting for that. Eventually, however, we reached the famous ceramic steps leading to Santa Teresa Convent.

"Wow," mouthed Bella, eyes wide as she inspected the masterpiece.

I chuckled lowly. "The Escadaria Selarón … Impressive, isn't it?"

The 125 metre stairway was paved from top to bottom in tiles, mirrors and brightly coloured ceramics of blue, yellow and green, all the work of the obsessive Chilean artist Jorge Selarón.

Bella nodded, evidently lost for words. I held out my hand for her. She accepted it, and together we dawdled up the hillside. It took us a while to reach the top, for Bella would occasionally draw to a halt when a particular tile, many of which had been hand painted, captured her interest. When that happened, she usually bent down to run a finger over the ceramics. We would have to venture into the pensieve again when she was a vampire, so that she could commit the stairway to memory. On the other hand, we could simply revisit Rio. I doubt she'd be opposed to that idea.

We turned left when we reached the top, eventually stopping in front of a tavern called O Dragão Bêbado, or 'The Drunken Dragon' when translated into English. I would have completely wandered past it if Bella hadn't pulled me to a stop. I'd already told her the name of the place we were looking for, realising beforehand that my eyes might not be able to see through the protective charms surrounding it. When she pointed the tavern out, however, I found that the illusion slowly dissolved if I concentrated hard enough. That probably wouldn't have been the case had I been human.

Instead of a dilapidated bar with smashed windows and a sign on the door reading 'No music, no smoking, no alcohol' in Portuguese, I realised we were actually facing a building that made use of the same ceramic artistry as the Escadaria Selarón. Almost the entire front wall was comprised of blue, green and yellow tiles, the only exception being the small copper mosaic above the front doors, which depicted a Peruvian Vipertooth―a dragon native to South America.

"I suppose it's just a matter of really looking," I murmured, staring up at the design.

Bella nodded. "You just need to learn to distinguish reality from trickery. These spells are designed to repel big, bad vampires like you as much as they are Muggles."

I rolled my eyes at Bella's smirk. "Come on, let's go inside."

We pushed open the blue double-doors to find that the bar was absolutely heaving with cheerful witches and wizards, a slightly surprising fact considering it was a weekday. Each wall formed the canvas for large mosaics made of red and gold ceramics, all of them depicting dragons. Guitarists played together in one corner of the room, singing in their native tongue.

Unlike the people I had observed in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, these individuals weren't garbed in thick, heavy robes. Yes, they wore cloaks, the staple garment of their kind, but these were made of much thinner material―cotton in most cases―to avoid overheating. Beneath these, the women wore long colourful caftans or sundresses, some patterned and adorned with beads, while the men seemed to favour loose fitting pants and capris, which they generally paired with baggy tunics and sandals.

With Bella in her Muggle attire and me in my khaki shorts and a simple white t-shirt, we stood out.

I'd hoped that my eye-colour would prevent the witches and wizards we encountered from growing suspicious, but it wasn't enough. They recognised the abnormal beauty accompanying vampirism as easily as those in London had, meaning that I attracted much unwanted attention as Bella and I made our way over to the bar. Men and women alike did double-takes as we passed. Those who had been chattering animatedly before our arrival suddenly trailed off when they saw me, until the whole bar fell silent.

The barmaid―a tall, slender woman with a bright red flower in a long, dark hair, probably in her late thirties―edged away as we approached, still clutching with shaking fingers the half-poured pint she'd been filling for an elderly wizard.

Her lip trembled as she stared at me, her eyes wide with fear. I sighed as I heard her breathing accelerate.

"V-vampiro," she whispered.

To my left, I heard Bella's teeth snap together. She was just about to jump to my defence when I gently clasped a hand to her shoulder to stay her.

I could hear the confusion in the woman's thoughts as she observed the silent exchange, wondering at our connection. She guessed that we were married when her eyes caught my wedding ring, and then Bella's.

"Não tenha medo, Senhora," I said to her, projecting my voice so the others would hear it. "Eu não como seres humanos." The woman blinked a few times, processing my statement, before cocking her head to the side. "Só animais."

The people around us didn't seem to know how to respond. They looked from one person to another, as if they needed to be told how to react.

The woman pursed her lips, scrutinising Bella once again. "Your wife?"

I nodded. "We're on our honeymoon."

"I have never heard of a vampire marrying a human before," she said slowly.

"Me neither," I smirked. "I might be the first."

I saw the first traces of a smile, but I had not yet completely dispelled her wariness. Everyone else seemed to be awaiting the woman's judgment. Perhaps her decision would influence her customers.

"Is it very hard for you not to kill her?"

Bella shifted uncomfortably.

I barely suppressed a scowl at the impertinent question. "Not anymore."

The woman looked me up and down one final time, trying to decide whether or not she believed me. Then she quietly returned to pulling her customer's pint, while the rest of the witches and wizards continued to gawk in complete astonishment. The silence stretched out even after the barmaid had passed judgement. Her merry whistle and the sound of the pump as she pulled through the amber liquid only served in accentuating the quiet, but it was precisely what was needed to break the spell.

A second later, the noise resumed. It was sort of funny how everyone seemed determined not to discuss what had stunned them into silence only a minute ago. Talk about ignoring the elephant in the room.

"What did you tell her?" Bella asked as we waited to be served.

"I told her that I eat animals, as opposed to humans."

She nodded as I extracted some galleons from the pouch Alice had packed. I didn't expect the owners of this bar to stock dragon's blood. I doubted they received much custom from vampires. Luckily, though, I'd had a drink earlier that day. Bella, on the other hand, needed to stay hydrated, so I bought her a soda. She picked the mango sherbet flavour, and it came with all the trimmings: a little umbrella and a magic sparkler that emitted every colour of the rainbow.

I could feel the eyes of the locals on us as we found a seat by the front window.

"They're all staring," Bella hissed. Her fingers drummed impatiently against the table-top.

I slipped my hand across the wooden surface to still them. She stopped breathing as I slipped the other around the back of her neck to pull her face to mine.

_What are we doing? _my wife enquired, her heart beating more forcefully as she lowered her shield.

My lips pulled up in a wicked smirk as I nuzzled her nose with my own. "Giving them something to stare at."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The entrance to O Quadrado Secreto was hidden behind the portrait of a bearded lady, which hung in an otherwise empty room at the back of the bar. She was a voluptuous, obstinate woman with coffee-coloured hair, who always refused to open for tourists. Luckily, her skin was highly sensitive, and if you tickled her chin for long enough, she inevitably surrendered.

The portrait swung open to reveal a high-ceilinged room with a magnificent, ebony fireplace, which was no doubt used to access the Floo network. The orange light from the flames danced on the wall, acting as the room's only light source. Built into the opposite wall, there was a large circular hole – clearly the entrance to some kind of chute, like those you find in aqua parks, only this one involved no water.

"Looks a little ominous, if you ask me," said Bella, crouching before the opening. Warily, she peered into the inky darkness.

"The notorious Bella Cullen can't surely be scared of a slide," I teased. Her eyes snapped back up in my direction, and I almost laughed out loud at her offended expression—the way her lips pursed as she bit back a retort. Her kitten fury was unbelievably adorable, and certainly enough to help her overcome her reticence, which vanished in the space of a second.

Without a single word, she flung herself feet-first into the shadows. Her hair spilling out behind her, like a silky chocolate curtain, was the last thing I saw before the blackness consumed her completely. However fearless she tried to act, though, her brave display didn't do anything to muffle the pounding of her heart, which echoed vociferously back up the chute like the beat of a drum.

With a chuckle, I surged in after her, immediately plummeting down an almost vertical slope, before shooting off to the left in a wide spiral. Faster and faster I went, my momentum increasing with each sudden drop, until I was whizzing down the hillside at sixty miles an hour.

Despite their noble efforts, the heavy shadows lost the battle against my superior vampire vision. I couldn't see in absolute darkness, but my strong eyes only required a single thread of light to make sense of their surroundings. One glimmer bouncing up the tube was all it took. I saw the twists and turns before they came, just as I saw the sudden plunges and the wide sweeping dips. To a human, I dare say the ride would have proved thoroughly exhilarating—travelling down the hillside at high speeds in total darkness, never knowing what the next moment would bring.

With each passing second, more and more noise filled the tube: the sound of people conversing, deep rumbling laughter mingled with high sonorous giggles, cheerful bellows and loud energetic music. The light, too, grew brighter, until I finally rounded the last corner and it burst like a brilliant sun across my vision.

A slippery runway was there to greet me at the finish line. I shot from the chute like a bullet from a loaded pistol, along a narrow carpet that intersected an enormous public square. With a sudden thrust, I forced myself into the air, landing as gracefully as a cat on my feet, unlike Bella, who had crashed predictably into the cushioned barrier at the end of the runway, and was now sprawled out on her side, completely disoriented.

"Are you all right?" I checked, pulling her to her feet. She wobbled a bit as she stood, so I cautiously kept both hands on her hips to save her from falling.

"Yeah, just a bit dizzy. That was actually a lot of fun once I got used to it."

"Yeah?"

Bella nodded and flashed me a smile, but it was short-lived, for she was quickly distracted by our surroundings, and with good reason. We were standing in the middle of a vast thrumming marketplace, occupied by a number of colourful stalls, shops and restaurants. As well as determined merchants, the area was also used by artists, who offered to paint the portraits of passing witches and wizards. There were busking musicians too—sambistas mostly—who enticed couples to partake in flirtatious Latino dances. Men and women moved together to the beat of the music, the physical exertion giving their skin a light sheen. Under the streaming rays of the brilliant midday sun, they looked radiant. All in all, the lively music, sensual yet energetic dancing and boldly coloured fashion contributed to a very dynamic ambiance, one that was nourished all the more by the bustling crowds, lively entrepreneurs and street hustlers.

The area was enclosed by towering sandstone walls, housing various stores. The spaces in between each shop-front had been covered from top to bottom by pine trellis, which supported the creeping coils of exotic flora. There must have been a dozen different species in total, but I recognised none of them. They were indisputably magical though—far too animated to be classed as 'normal'—some wriggling over the lattice like snakes, while others reached out seductively, curling their tendrils at passers-by to beckon them forwards. Funnily enough, it was the latter that everyone seemed determined to stay away from, and I had a sneaking suspicion that they had a very good reason for doing so. As I glanced at Bella from the corner of my eye, I realised that the most alluring specimens were usually the most dangerous.

The plants, it seemed, belonged to four separate merchants. Each owned one of the four walls that made up the quadrangle, upon which they displayed their goods. It was in the minute following our arrival that Bella and I witnessed a scrap between two of the four plant sellers—a female and a male—after one claimed that the other had encouraged his 'weeds' to invade the growing space of her superior merchandise. The rival didn't respond well to the accusation, and retorted with a few colourful words, thus earning the full attention of prospective customers, along with an unexpected slap to the face.

The impassioned witch, who could have been no more than thirty, seemed just as shocked by her sudden action as the wizard. Her blazing green eyes, which were framed by a mane of curly dark hair that reached her lower back, softened infinitesimally as he—a towering beast of a man with deep brown eyes and a mop of dark wavy hair—gawked in shock.

No one breathed.

It was only when the pair attacked one another in a furious kiss a second later that the spectators sighed in relief, after which they immediately resumed their errands as if nothing had happened.

"How bizarre," blurted Bella, her chocolate irises still aimed at the kissing couple, who seemed to have forgotten their customers entirely as they attacked one another's mouths.

"Indeed," I agreed, as equally astonished.

The unusual display was not the only thing to baffle us that afternoon. As we weaved through the crowded marketplace, we saw some very unexpected things. One man, for example, was stocking a number of chicken eggs upon which there rested large, ugly toads. They were on display outside a small restaurant. It was nestled into one corner of the square, and had several tables set up outside, where visitors could enjoy their food in the sun.

"That's illegal!" Bella exclaimed, pointing to the eggs.

I nodded in agreement. It was hard to believe that anyone would dare to breed basilisks at all, let alone openly.

The salesman responsible for the eggs overheard and shook his hands in defense. "No, no, no, Miss. These are for eating."

"What?"

"For eating," he repeated in a strong accent, pointing to the sign hanging over the door. On it there was a picture of a plate loaded with strange food, including eggs with green yolks. The man smiled proudly. "We take off toad before the egg can hatch, and then cook however you like: scrambled, poached, sunny-side up, etcetera, etcetera. Toad gives egg spicy kick. You like eggs, yes?"

Bella nodded. "I'm not hungry, though."

The man's hopeful smile evaporated, but returned very quickly as he tried to offer us alternative dishes, including smoked niffler, despite Bella's protests.

"I can't believe he can get away with that!" she cried after we escaped, throwing her arms into the air. "It's preposterous! Mad, even, not to mention irresponsible. Imagine what could happen! Spicy kick, my eye. Has the guy not heard of paprika? I'll give him his spicy kick all right. In fact ..." She u-turned abruptly, ready to storm back in the direction of the absurd restaurant, and would have done, too, if I hadn't prevented her from doing so. My arms immediately shot around her waist, pulling her to a sudden stop.

"Edward, let go of me!" ordered Bella, frantically kicking the empty air. "I'm going to give that culinary fiend a piece of my mind, and then maybe a piece of my fist! If he thinks he can—"

"Whoa there, Bella! Let's not—"

"Don't 'whoa there' me," she growled. "I'm not a horse, Edward, I'm a concerned tourist!" She struggled in my arms, continuing to battle futilely against my hold, but I wasn't stupid enough to let her go. God only knew what lengths her unexpected mood-swing would push her to. What if she decided to turn the restaurant owner into a pig and feed him to his own customers? She was angry enough. In fact, she was raging. Her teeth were bared and even I was a little bit terrified, not to mention the locals, most of whom were puzzled by her outrage. They didn't seem to understand her aversion to the spicy, green omelettes, and stared at her as if she were mad. However dangerous the method of procuring them might be, apparently, they were worth the risk.

I dare say Bella's tirade offended a fair few witches and wizards, particularly those on their way to the restaurant in question. She hissed and growled whenever anyone went near the door, and, to my extreme mortification, even shouted that her husband was a vampire and that they had better watch themselves. I, meanwhile, plastered on the most fake smile imaginable as I assured onlookers that the witch's temper could be attributed to an empty stomach.

"Don't be alarmed, she's just hungry!"

"Hungry? Hungry!" And suddenly I was the one receiving the brunt of her anger.

_Nice one, Edward. How very smart of you. Emmett warned you against antagonizing your wife! Have you learnt nothing?_

Eventually, though, enough was enough and I was forced to take extreme action: I threw Bella over my shoulder, ignoring her death threats, and marched in the direction of the sambistas. They eyed me with suspicion as I approached, but continued to play despite the scene we were making.

"Gah! Put me down, Edward!" Bella commanded, bashing her fists against my back, somehow managing not to hurt herself.

I tossed a few galleons into the open guitar case that had been left out on the floor. The offering seemed to appease the performers, though they had already gathered a reasonable sum by the looks of things. Their efforts were clearly appreciated, not surprising when one took their talent into account. The group was comprised of an adroit male guitarist with short, messy hair and a thin goatee; two skillful cuícas players, both young, tall and lean with bronze skin; a middle-aged male tambourine player with a heavily lined face; and a young teenage boy with jet hair, dark skin and piercing blue eyes, who played the frying pan.

The song ended and a new one began, just as I placed Bella back on her feet.

"Edward, what the heck are you—" But I wasn't about to let her get any further than that. Before she could resume her tirade, I quickly pulled her body to mine, until we were so close we were in danger of merging. With one hand on her lower back and the other on her waist, I crushed my lips to hers. She tensed at first, her entire body instantly going rigid, her fingers clutching my upper arms.

It was like throwing a match onto a puddle of oil: the sudden burst of fire in her blood instantly purged her of her anger. I could smell the lust exploding through her system until it was wafting off her skin in waves, while I continued to sway her back and forth to the rhythm of the music.

She groaned, her delicate hands seizing my t-shirt. _What are you doing to me, Edward?_

The lowering of her shield gave me sudden insight into her mind. Her head was like a teenager's bedroom, in complete disarray, as if a whirlwind had powered through at a hundred miles per hour. Topsy-turvy would have been an understatement; Bella's emotions were absolutely all over the place.

"Are you all right?" I asked, pulling back. For a few seconds, her only response was to stare at my mouth, licking her lips like some kind of wild thing. Eventually, however, her brow started to pucker, signalling her return to reality.

"I don't know," she admitted, her frown deepening. "I feel a bit strange." We continued to step in time with the music, my arms forming a protective circle around her waist as I held her to me.

"How do you mean?"

Bella shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't know what happened back there. One minute I wanted to kill that man for his impudence." She spoke through her teeth, and even now, there was a still a bit of venom in her voice. "Now, though, all I can seem to think about is ripping your clothes off."

My inner schoolboy—the one who'd drooled and fantasised over the girl in my arms long before I'd actually 'had' her—performed a somersault and screamed the words 'hell yes'. I was already calculating how long it would take us to apparate back to Isle Esme and shed our clothes, when Bella's stomach gave a loud rumble.

"Actually, scratch that," she said, looking a little sheepish. "I need sustenance first."

My inner schoolboy slumped, scuffing his shoe against the ground with his hands in his pockets. I was a bit pathetic really; my self-control had been washed down the plughole that very first night, meaning that Bella could turn me on as easily as a light-switch with one simple sentence. And now, because the gremlin in her stomach had suddenly decided to rear its ugly head, I had to act the gentleman and put my wife's needs first, despite the fact that I was now pitching an abnormally large tent that only a blind man would fail to notice. My brain suddenly flew into panic mode.

_But what am I supposed to do with this? Argh! Come on, Edward, what do other guys do in __this type of situation? Oh right, yeah. Mrs Cope, Mrs Cope, Mrs Cope ..._

"No problem," I lied. Indeed, I was no longer aroused, thanks to the horrifying visuals my imagination had provided me with, but I was still incredibly frustrated. My eyes flew at lightning speed around the square, whizzing from one corner to another in an attempt to locate an appropriate restaurant as soon as possible. I had to remind myself not to pull Bella's arm off when I found one.

It looked like a respectable establishment, situated little more than twenty metres away. The restaurant was a three storey building, with balconies on the second and third floor, beneath which there lay a pretty terrace made up of circular filigree tables moulded from wrought iron, as well as matching chairs that had been coupled with soft, plump cushions sewn from red and cream silk. The terrace itself was enclosed by trellis fencing covered with non-threatening vines, pretty purple blooms and milky lilies. All in all, the place had a nice atmosphere; it was luxurious without seeming pretentious.

A cheerful maître d' in black pants and a partially unbuttoned white shirt escorted us to our seats. He was completely oblivious to the fact that I was a vampire, though how he failed to notice, I had no idea. Perhaps he was exceptionally unobservant. After handing us each a menu, he dutifully marched back to the front of the restaurant to await more visitors.

Bella didn't even bother to open her menu; her eyes were immediately arrested by the plate sitting before a Portuguese wizard on the table next to us. The large-bellied man was currently tucking into a huge, juicy steak dripping with myoglobin protein.

"I want one of those," Bella decided suddenly, practically salivating. "Blue."

A blue steak? Odd. The witch usually took hers either rare or medium-rare. I'd never known her ask for one any other way.

"And maybe some eggs as well. And spinach, too."

"Um … OK." _She must really be hungry, _I thought to myself, _not wholly surprising considering how far we've walked._ _Still_ …

My gaze dropped slowly to Bella's abdomen, but my view was obstructed by the table. Red meat, eggs and spinach … I immediately felt my gut clenched as I thought about the implications. It seemed a little early for cravings, but I wasn't an idiot. Was it a coincidence that a young woman potentially carrying a vampire hybrid was craving food with high iron content? After blood, it would surely be the next best thing for a growing vampire foetus.

And the mood-swings … Could the sudden shift of Bella's emotions be directly tied to a flux in hormones? I noticed then that Bella was radiant. Her skin was practically glowing in the light of the sun, more so perhaps than mine, since I had taken another helping of potion to avoid freaking out the humans with my sparkly skin. She even smelled different, her scent sweeter than normal, something I would have previously thought impossible. The change was almost imperceptible; I only noticed it in the first place because I was studying her closely, picking out all the minute changes. Beneath the mouth-watering odour that was Bella's blood, there was the hint of something else: a scent that was not quite human, but something other.

Distinctly vampire.

_Am I imagining this?_ I wondered to myself. _Can I smell it because I want to smell it, or is it actually real? Is Bella changing? _And the more I thought about it, the more I started to believe. It all made perfect sense. Thinking back to when I'd thrown her over my shoulder only minutes before, I remembered that Bella had gained weight since we'd started our honeymoon. It was no more than two pounds, but it was something!

With this sudden epiphany, it became almost impossible to stay in my seat. I was seriously considering doing backflips across the square, and my fingers were itching for my cell phone. I was desperate to text my brothers about my newly formed suspicions, feeling as if I would explode if I didn't. I held off though, deciding I would leave it until I had more solid evidence.

When our waitress arrived—a voluptuous witch with curly, ebony hair—I ordered on Bella's behalf, conveying our requests in fluent Portuguese. A Quick Quotes Quill floated to the right of the woman's head, recording the details on a hovering notepad. She asked if I wanted anything, since I'd only requested a meal for one, and shuddered when I told her I was a vegetarian vampire who required no food. The waitress walked briskly away afterwards, eager to escape.

No more than a minute later, the manager came waddling out from inside, red-faced and sweating. His employee must have informed him that they were catering to a vampire, because he immediately offered to nip to the apothecary, to buy a bottle of dragon's blood. The idea made me feel a little guilty: I didn't want anyone to have to go out of their way to please me. On the other hand, the podgy restaurateur assured me that the apothecary stocked Peruvian Vipertooth, and so I was swayed.

While Bella demolished her steak, therefore, I casually sipped my blood, which, at first, was a lot sharper than the other varieties I had sampled before. As I swilled it around my mouth, though, it seemed to flower over my tongue, transforming into something softer and sweeter and wonderful.

It took Bella all of five minutes to get through the entire plate. She was a human vacuum for sure. The sounds she made as she slipped each tender cut of meat into her mouth should have been illegal, and more than once I found myself chanting the words 'Mrs Cope' over and over to keep myself from whimpering. When that didn't work, I moved onto 'naked Emmett'.

"That was delicious," she said, patting her stomach as she slumped back in her chair.

"I'm glad you liked it. Would you like to order dessert?"

Bella chuckled. "I'm not sure I could manage it. The eggs just about finished me off."

"Just about?" I laughed, ever so slightly astonished. Where had she put it all?

Bella giggled and nodded.

After we paid for lunch, we searched through more of the stores. I bought an enchanted mood-ring for Bella – one that actually worked – after making a crack about her rapidly changing emotions. If she'd seen the price tag, she would have told me to take it straight back. We also stopped by the apothecary to stock up on exotic herbs and dragon's blood. I didn't want to have to leave my wife to go hunt any time soon, so I figured it would be wise to make the purchase while we were there.

We were just about to make our way home when Bella noticed a sign in one of the shop windows. It was a travel agency, one providing magical getaways to witches and wizards in need of a break. Amidst the numerous posters advertising various trips and cruises, there was a three-foot royal blue banner, the English text printed in florid script.

_For an astounding under-water expedition, visit Atlantis!_

_Are you thirsty for adventure? Dare you take the plunge into the world's most mysterious waters? If so, we have just what you're looking for: an amazing journey through the lost city of Atlantis. Set against the magnificent slopes of an extinct submarine volcano, this ancient metropolis provides some spectacular scenery, including an incredible array of vibrant plant life and rainbow coral. Whether you're a marine biologist or an avid historian searching to unlock the secrets of an ancient _

_civilisation__, Atlantis is one sunken treasure you simply can't afford to miss!_

_(See in store for details)_

I glanced down at Bella. Her eyes were wide and glazed like donuts. Suddenly, she turned on me, teeth nipping her lower lip.

"Do you want to go?" I asked, without really needing to.

The witch nodded eagerly. "Can we?"

"Of course," I smiled, before pushing open the door. It didn't take us long to arrange the visit – the agent was keen to get the business over with quickly; he didn't appreciate having a vampire in his place of work. Apparently, dealing with irritating tourists was stressful enough, never mind a bloodthirsty carnivore. After no more than three minutes, my wife and I exited the building with two tickets for an overnight stay in one of the wizarding world's most prestigious hotels: The Imperial Trident.

Our galleons had also bought us a wooden back-scratcher. Personally, I thought the agent could have chosen a less peculiar port-key – an old sneaker or a t-shirt would have suited me just fine. It was set for the following day at eight o'clock in the morning.

The agent wouldn't reveal Atlantis' geographic location – probably in an attempt to protect his business – but I managed to gather from his thoughts that it could be found somewhere in the Aegean Sea. Bella told me afterwards that that was no big secret; it was widely known that the lost city was situated somewhere in Greece.

The sun was setting by the time we returned to Isle Esme, by which point Bella was exhausted. After departing O Quadro Secreto, we'd wandered the streets of Lapa in search of good music and quaint restaurants. When we'd stopped at one of the district's bars, where people were spilling out onto the street to dance in the evening sunshine, Bella had had no qualms about joining them – the Newton Ball had been nestled safely in the left pocket of her denim shorts.

The exercise had given her an appetite, so after three-quarters of an hour of solid dancing we'd been forced to quit the activity to find her something to eat.

The sounds she'd made as she'd sampled the local cuisine had bordered on sexual. First there was the Feijoada – an aromatic stew made from smoked pork, beef and black turtle beans, all flavoured with cumin and parsley. She'd looked a little guilty when I'd enquired as to whether or not she would like dessert. It had been a mistake to ask, and it wasn't long before I was wishing that I'd kept my mouth shut. If the main course had been torturous, the last was my definition of hell. The moment after she'd bitten into her first vanilla truffle, I was deluged with the most arousing noises known to man: sudden gasps, incessant sighing and gentle feminine moans. Who knew that listening to a woman eat could be such a turn-on! Could vampires get blue-balls? What made the situation all the more ridiculous was the fact that she'd been completely oblivious to the effect she was having.

"Finally," I breathed as I tossed her onto the bed an hour later. Pillows bounced around her as she hit the mattress, giggling profusely. The strength had returned to my muscles earlier in the day – I could feel it thrumming through the sinews of tissue like an electric surge – so rather than risk bruising Bella like I had the first night, I hastily popped another pill from its little silver container.

I'd had every intention of launching myself at Bella immediately afterwards, and would have done too, if I hadn't crashed head first into the transparent shield ballooning out from the tip of her wand.

Mischief danced in her eyes as she grinned at me. Clearly she was plotting something. "If you want me," she said, "you'll have to catch me."

I blinked, dumbfounded, as she suddenly disapparated. A chuckle from my left had me spinning, my eyes instantly locating the source of the beautiful laughter. There, thirty metres away, posing seductively in a satin silver nightgown against the fringe of trees, was Bella. Without turning away, so as to keep her eyes on me, she took a step backwards, then another and another, until finally she melded with the shadows of the thick, black night.

Not a second had passed and already I was charging from the bedroom, albeit at a pitiful speed, my nostrils flaring madly. What a tease! Did she not realise that I was going out of my mind with lust?

Her luscious scent filled my nose as I arrived at the borderline of trees. I could practically taste her as it hit the back of my throat, overwhelming me like a drug.

It took everything I had to stop myself from barreling into the jungle. As much as I wanted my wife at that moment, another part of me – the more rational, calculating part – told me to be patient. This wasn't something to be rushed, after all; this was a hunt – a fantasy that had haunted me for years, ever since those tense hours in Biology. Bella was my prey, and I was the hunter bent on chasing her down. The best part was that I could finally lose control; I could track her through the shadows without having to worry that I would hurt her when I finally found her.

But first, this had to be slow – had to be controlled. Predators like me weren't the hurried type. These things were not to be rushed. They were to be enjoyed … savoured, like a fine wine; and so I chose to be silent, to be cool, and to take my time. I wanted Bella to know I was coming for her, I wanted her to feel my eyes on her – to realise I was watching.

With a blissful smile on my face, I began my hunt.

**BPOV**

I had to be careful of my feet as I raced deeper into the jungle. It hadn't hit me until I dashed face first into a swarm of midges that this might not have been the best idea. Here I was, draped in a paper-thin nighty that barely covered my butt, standing in a tropical maze of towering palm trees and nectary flora, not a shoe or flip-flop to speak of, and somehow I had decided it would be a good idea to tease my already-excited vampire husband, a task which now depended on me running barefoot through an area in which I would be more likely to find the Queen of England than leave uninjured.

After only five minutes of dashing through the jungle, already I had almost tripped five times and had been in danger of stumping my toe at least twice. Even so, I kept going, clambering over tree-roots and brushing through waist-high bushes covered with sap.

Adrenaline crashed through my veins as I imagined Edward tracking me through the trees. The only reason why my pursuer hadn't captured me already was because he was limited to human speed, thanks to the temporary effects of the magical candy he'd consumed. His senses would still tell him precisely where to find me though, and just because he was slower than usual, that wasn't to say I would necessarily be able to outrun him.

Did I even want to?

_Bella, come on now, you're supposed to be a frightened damsel trying to escape a bloodthirsty vampire. A sexy, bloodthirsty vampire, granted, but a bloodthirsty vampire all the same._

After mentally berating myself, I decided to pick up my speed. Who knew how fast Edward could move at present? I certainly didn't, and so I scrambled faster up the rocky slope I'd arrived at, my panicked fingers searching furiously for purchase.

An unexpected rustle broke the ominous quiet, and I suddenly lost my footing. I slipped on a damp rock, accidentally bumping my arm in the process. Before I could check to see if there was any broken skin, I heard the rustling of grasses once again.

My head whipped left. I couldn't breathe.

Another rustle.

My heart stuttered.

In my periphery, I caught movement, almost jumping out of my skin, feeling like an idiot whe I realized a second later it was nothing more than a parrot. As it hopped out of the leafy undergrowth and took flight, I release a sigh. At that point, I couldn't tell whether I was relieved or disappointed.

A deep chuckle echoed from behind me, the sound pulling an abrupt scream from between my trembling lips. With wide eyes, I stared up the rocky slope, stumbling backwards when my gaze landed on the menacing figure standing proudly at the very top. I couldn't see his face; it was completely obscured by shadows, but I could make out his tall powerful frame, his broad shoulders and his strong limbs.

My pulse thundered in my head as I took another shaky step backwards. This time, the vampire matched it with one of his own. For every wobbly stride I took away from him, he took one more graceful step towards me, his feet making no sound at all as they brushed the stone.

The tension was unbearable. I held his gaze for no more than three seconds before I turned and bolted like a frightened gazelle. His dark laughter ripped through the night as I tore back through the jungle, my legs pumping faster than ever. Over and over, I swiped at the branches that reached out to trap me, and over and over, they swiped back. I barely registered the sting as one caught my cheek; at the time, I was more concerned with the fact that there was a ravenous predator hunting me through the jungle.

_Move, Bella! _I told myself. _Hurry up!_

The air rushing by him was the only evidence of his chase. I could hear it whistle as he cut through it. I could feel him at my heels, ready to pounce.

We must have jumped at the same time, I to avoid the enormous root blocking my path, and he to end the hunt. Like vines, his arms seized my torso, one catching my collar, the other gripping my waist, before spinning me towards him.

There was nothing to stop us from crashing to the earth; we fell like a pair of meteorites, consumed by a fire that neither of us would ever be able to escape or extinguish.

Edward attacked my neck the moment my back hit the floor, his lips moving hungrily against my heated skin. My fingers couldn't move fast enough over the buttons of his shirt. In my impatience, I resorted to ripping them off instead, a decision which seemed to thrust my husband into a complete frenzy. With one hand, he effortlessly pinned my wrists to the ground above my head, using his other to push my legs apart.

I didn't exactly put up a fight; the damsel act had gone out the window the moment he'd caught me.

"You never stood a chance," he murmured huskily. I moaned in response.

_Of course I hadn't. That had been the point._

I wasn't sure where his pants disappeared to, but he managed to remove them without me noticing. That probably had something to do with the way he was kissing me. I deliberated briefly whether or not kissing could be a super-power – an ability that could be strengthened when one became a vampire – because no one on earth should be able to do it this well.

Although it had only been a couple of weeks since our first time, my body had already adjusted to accommodate Edward. There was never any pain anymore, just mind-blowing ecstasy. Like animals or beasts, we enjoyed one another on the jungle floor, our bodies tangled together on a bed of dirt, vines and scattered leaves.

He knelt while I lay, my thighs ensnaring his waist as he grabbed my hips, propping up my lower half. His movements were feral: hard and desperate and amazing. More than once my carnal screams pierced the shadows, no doubt disturbing the wildlife from peaceful sleep.

Eventually, Edward collapsed on top of me, yet neither of us seemed wholly satisfied. My bones ached and I was exhausted beyond belief, but the fire was still there. The sex, however incredible, hadn't assuaged my desires. I continued to burn, and would no doubt do so for the rest of my existence.

With a groan, I pushed off the ground, rolling with Edward into the blackness.

I was still sprawled on top of him when we appeared a moment later in the bedroom. He looked a little startled when I bolted right to snatch my wand from the bedside table, and even more so when I yelled '_Incarcerous'_. Before George's strength-remover, the vampire might have been fast enough to dodge the ropes that fired from the tip of my wand, but that certainly wasn't the case now.

I made quick work of his wrists, and then his ankles, smirking triumphantly as my struggling husband gawked in absolute astonishment. It was impossible not to giggle as I straddled his pelvis. Never had I thought I would see the day when _I _would overpower Edward Cullen.

"It actually worked," I mused. "You're my prisoner."

For the slightest moment possible, Edward went completely rigid. He was used to being in control, so this would be an entirely new experience for him. Very quickly, though, he warmed to the idea of being completely and utterly helpless, his muscles visibly relaxing as he stopped fighting the restraints. I sighed with relief.

"I'm your prisoner," he agreed with a nod, a slow smile creeping onto his face. He stared at me through half-closed eyes, his irises glimmering darkly like forbidden waters, vibrant and green. "What exactly do you plan to do with me?"

His voice was like milk and honey washing over sandpaper, silky and delicious and rough all at once. It was a spell in itself, completely irresistible, causing every cell in my body to spark like exposed wires. Edward arched an eyebrow – a challenge.

I'm fairly sure I didn't disappoint.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The next morning, it was Edward's call that woke me. He wasn't lying next to me when I opened my eyes, and his absence left me confused and disoriented. Crawling out of bed was almost an impossible task. I'd slept for eight hours, and still it didn't feel like enough.

My vampire must have been gone for at least thirty minutes, because I was hot and sticky when I threw the cotton sheets away from me. I could feel the beads of sweat forming on my neck and forehead, something which never happened whenever I was wrapped in Edward's arms. His wintry skin was the perfect solution to the oppressive heat.

I found him in the kitchen, after having wandered in there like a zombie, bemoaning the ungodly hour.

"It's quarter past seven, Bella. I'm not exactly dragging you up at the crack of dawn."

At that, I managed an ungrateful 'ugh', before sluggishly making my way over to one of the barstools seated alongside the wooden island. It was only then that I realised Edward had gone overboard with breakfast.

There were five different platters lying on the counter top, each covered with a different selection of food: pancakes oozing with butter and maple syrup; berries, bananas and coconut, most of which had probably been picked from the fruit trees outside; toast offered with little pots of fruit preserves; eggs benedict that looked and smelled absolutely divine; last, but certainly not least, a steak!

While I stared incredulously at the latter, Edward busied himself with pouring me a large glass of orange juice. I was baffled as to why he'd think I'd want to eat blue meat this early in the day, but the more I thought about it, the more I actually started to crave it. In fact, I didn't just want to devour it I realised, I wanted to hug it like a BFF. With horror, it dawned on me that this was how Edward must feel all the time. I was a huggable steak!

Part of me – a very small part of me – wanted to reject the beautiful slab of meat. If Edward could restrict himself to a vegetarian diet, I could certainly say no to a steak at breakfast time. Fruit was a much healthier option after all.

I did try, believe me. I avoided its gaze, I pretended it wasn't there, I did everything I could to convince myself it was all a figment of my imagination, but none of it made the blindest bit of difference.

_I'm not strong enough! _I realised with a groan. The magnificent filet continued to flaunt its 'come hither' good looks, and I subsequently became all the more entranced by it. It smelled incredible, and gosh it was bloody, gloriously so!

_It's a good job we're _not _BFFs, _I thought to myself as I stabbed it with my fork. _You'd probably never forgive me for this._

The thought gave birth to an amusing daydream, in which Jasper, fork in hand, was saying something similar to Cormac McLaggen. I giggled quietly as I took the first bite of my steak.

"What's so funny?" asked Edward, taking a seat beside me.

I shook my head. "I was just thinking about Jasper nibbling on Cormac McLaggen."

Edward frowned.

"It makes sense in my head," I said with a shrug. So did Alice biting Romilda Vane – that conniving trollop. "Thanks for breakfast, by the way. This is amazing."

Edward smiled. "I figured you'd need a big breakfast today."

"Still, this is a lot. I doubt I'll be able to manage even half."

"Probably not, but at least try to eat as much as you can."

"I will." I nodded to the steak then. "It's a little early for this, isn't it? Filet mignon is great, but it's not something you expect to find on your plate before noon."

I felt the first flicker of suspicion ignite in my gut when Edward next turned his gaze on me. He said nothing, but retained his secret smile all the while, his eyes burning into mine.

"You're not trying to fatten me up, are you?" I questioned, momentarily dropping my eating utensils. My words appeared to startle him. The sound of his nervous laughter filled the airy room, before he gulped and recovered himself.

"Of course not, Bella. This is just a … a thank you for last night."

I frowned. "A thank you?"

Edward nodded and hopped down from his stool, before moving to stand behind me, his arms circling my waist. I think I stopped breathing when he bent to whisper in my ear, "That's right. Did you think I wouldn't be grateful, hmm?"

"It was, uh … it was nothing."

A throaty chuckle vibrated up his throat. "Restraining a vampire is hardly nothing. Actually, it was rather impressive, though admittedly not as impressive as what you did afterwards."

A fiery blush erupted over my cheeks. My performance the previous night had been a product of the unwanted advice my sisters had showered me with during my bachelorette party. The only consolation was that my British friends hadn't been present when I'd had to listen to it. Thank heaven for small mercies.

"Come on, eat up," said Edward, rousing me from my memories. "We have less than forty-five minutes before the portkey leaves."

As usual, my husband was right, and so I returned my attention to the half-eaten steak, which I devoured within five minutes, before moving onto the eggs benedict. After finishing off breakfast with a slice of toast and a fruit pancake, I had to practically waddle to the bathroom for my morning shower.

As was becoming our usual routine, Edward joined me, insisting like always that we had enough time to fool around before leaving. He was turning into such a fiend – my own personal sex pest! Not that I didn't love it or anything.

I dressed according to the travel agents instructions. He'd said to wear a bathing suit under clothing appropriate for hot weather. Over a white bikini, I wore a pleated, coral top – sleeveless – and white shorts. Edward, on the other hand, paired his dark green swimming shorts with a white tank-top.

When we first arrived at our destination, I honestly thought we'd been transported to the wrong place. The port-key took us to a white pebbled cove nestled between two imposing cliffs that joined together fifteen metres beyond the gentle surf. The turquoise sea was as clear as polished glass, not to mention calm. I wasn't fooled though – these waters could easily turn violent. The evidence of that was the colossal cavity they'd carved into what must once have been a sweeping limestone wall.

I was staggered by the size of the cave; it could have easily housed a cathedral, and even then there would have been room left over. The jagged walls seemed to shimmer as the light hit them, like petrol stains on a damp road, and here and there they jutted in at sharp angles.

Edward held my hand as I stumbled over the uneven ground, his mouth agape as he absorbed the majestic sight before him.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?"

I jumped at the unexpected greeting. It was difficult to pinpoint exactly where the voice had come from, because it seemed to bounce off every surface. I threw my eyes from one direction to another, but the cave was so vast that I saw no-one. After a few seconds, however, a tall middle-aged man came skipping out of the darkness.

He had a five o'clock shadow and messy, black hair kept in place with a teal bandana. Above holey brown chinos, he was shirtless, thus revealing a lean upper-body composed of wiry muscles.

"Thyroros, nice to meet you." The man offered his hand in greeting, first to me and then to Edward.

"You're American?" I asked, analysing his accent.

Thyroros nodded. "I was born in Philly. My mom moved out there to be with my dad; she was Greek. Eventually she got a bit homesick, so we moved back when I was eight. Been here ever since." The man smiled buoyantly, glancing at Edward. "They warned me to expect a vampire. Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, I just prefer addressing the elephant in the room right at the start, otherwise there'd be all that unwanted tension and you'd probably be worrying that I was worrying that you were going to eat me. Just so we're clear, I'm not worried."

"That's nice to know," my husband responded. "I'm Edward, and this is my wife, Bella."

"Nice to meet you, both. I take it you're here for Atlantis."

"That's right. Do you know how to get there?"

The man grinned. "Do I know how to get there? Ha! I'm the doorman – of course I know how to get there."

"The doorman?" I frowned.

Thyroros chuckled. "Did you think we'd leave one of the most important magical cities in the world completely unchecked?"

The doorman, as he called himself, explained an apparation ban had been placed on Atlantis hundreds of years ago, to prevent congestion. Unlike the places above seawater, there was nowhere to go in Atlantis if the city became too crowded. The settlement was located at the bottom of the sea under an invisible umbrella shield two and a half miles in diameter. Once you reached the edge, the only place left was the perilous waters of the Aegean.

"The city will be quite busy, today," he promised, leading us towards the back of cave. "There were loads of people queuing here earlier this morning – it's always a nightmare whenever there's a Quidditch match on."

My ears pricked up immediately. During a brief interrogation, I learnt that the Atlantian Argonauts were due to battle the Spartan Spearheads in less than two hours. Although the Argonauts weren't as skilled as their opponents, they were incredibly excited to be playing the Spearheads, who had been the Greek Quidditch champions for two years running.

We followed Thyroros to the back of the cave, where he pointed to a small pothole. The doorman led the way, crawling on hands and knees through the confined shaft, which opened up after twenty metres into a spacious chamber, illuminated primarily by Gubraithian Fire.

The ceiling was composed almost entirely of chalky stalactites, both enormous and razor-sharp, like the fossilized teeth of a gargantuan monster. As for the floor, there wasn't much to speak of, since the grotto was entirely flooded. Only the narrow ledge we filed out onto separated us from the still waters below, which, strangely, glowed blue as if lit from beneath. I had no idea where it came from or what caused it, but the cerulean luminescence blended wonderfully with the golden radiance of the wall-torches, together casting jade light across the walls of the chamber.

"Do you know how to perform a bubble-head charm," Thyroros enquired, "or would you prefer me to do it?"

It took a few seconds for his words to register – I was too busy gawking at the cave – but when they did, I flinched. "You what?"

"A bubble-head charm, I'm assuming you're familiar with it."

"Of course, but surely you aren't suggesting we go down there," I panicked, pointing to the glowing water.

The man chuckled as he scratched his head. "It's this way or no way, I'm afraid. It's the only route into the city."

"How far is it to Atlantis?" Edward probed, taking hold of my hand.

"Ten minutes from here – two and a half minutes down with a descending charm, then a seven minute ride by cart." The wizard handed Edward a small duffle-bag then, instructing us to place our clothes and belongings inside, which we happily did once he'd assured us it was completely waterproof.

After stripping down to my bikini, I did as the man instructed and cast a bubble-head charm. Edward, obviously, had no use for the charm. Even if charms had worked on him, he didn't exactly need to breathe anyway.

I eyed the surface skeptically as I walked to the edge of the overhang. I couldn't say that I was looking forward to my trip through the subterranean waterway; it looked cold to me. I was surprised therefore to find that it was actually quite mild, lukewarm in fact.

"Underwater volcano, remember," Edward said, flashing a grin as he slipped into the water beside me.

"That's right," the doorman supplied, as he extracted a long, slender wand from his shorts. "This entire place is positioned over a geothermal hotspot. The city would be uninhabitable without it. Now, are you both ready?"

We nodded at him from the water. The descending charm would not work on Edward; the wizard could cast the spell over and over, and the vampire would continue to bob like an apple with a life-jacket. His only option, therefore, was to swim the mile down himself (which admittedly wouldn't take him long) or hold onto me while the magic ran its course. Since I preferred the latter option, I wound his arm tightly around my waist. "Hold on to me."

With that, Thyroros called out the words that would send us plummeting through the blue. Water surged over my head as I plunged downwards like a lead-weight, plumes of bubbles shooting up on all sides as we descended through the cylindrical shaft, which could have been no more than five metres in diameter. Down, down, deeper and deeper we fell, into the unknown, and all the while, I felt as if my stomach had leapt into my mouth – so quickly were we plummeting. I was thankfully when we reached the bottom.

"Arresto momentum," I called, as we reached the bottom, ending our descent before I could break my legs.

Gently, Edward tugged on my arm. Once he had my attention, he pointed to the right, indicating a circular hole in the shaft's wall. It formed the start of a short tunnel, which began to curve after ten metres or so, leading us upwards. After another twenty feet, we finally broke the surface.

A quick scan of our surroundings told me we were floating in a round pool at the centre of another vast cavern. How the place wasn't flooded, I had no idea, but I assumed it was thanks to some very impressive magic.

A shriveled witch was there to greet us when we climbed from the water. Her attire was nothing out of the ordinary: a floor-length dress made of mulberry velvet, and a long claret cape. She gave us a toothless grin, but said nothing, simply nodding her head in greeting as she waited for Edward and me to towel ourselves off and change back into our clothes.

When that was done, the witch gestured to a large platform running parallel to a set of tracks, upon which there sat eight carts, one behind the other.

We approached the one in front. Edward hopped in first, before holding out his hand to help me in. A padded bench running from the front to the back was the only seat the cart offered, meaning that its occupants would have to sit one in front of the other. That suited me just fine, and Edward too it seemed, if his mischievous smile were anything to go by. Gladly, I seated myself between his parted legs, leaning back against his chest, as he wound his arms around my waist. Once we were comfortably settled, the elderly witch on the platform waved her wand, and the cart began to move, picking up speed until we were surging forwards along the straight and narrow tracks, into another dimly lit tunnel.

The tube could only have been five metres in width, wide enough for another set of tracks, which no doubt carried passengers back in the opposite direction. It was a humid and sticky place, and I was thoroughly relieved that we'd been warned to dress for these conditions, otherwise I may very well have fainted from the heat. Of course, I then remembered I'd married a vampire, and realised I'd never have to worry about over-heating again.

"Where do you think we are?" I asked my husband, who was currently running a finger along my hipbone.

"Under the seabed," he replied. "At least, that's what I gathered from that woman's thoughts."

I felt my eyebrows lift in surprise. _Under the seabed? Damn._

As impressive as the notion was, I suppose it wasn't the first time I'd heard of something like this. The channel tunnel, for example, ran all the way from England to France, under the seabed. If Muggles could build one, was it really that surprising that witches and wizards could do the same?

We'd only been travelling down the line for a minute when Edward's hands began to … wander.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, as he pressed his face to my throat. I felt him smile against my neck.

"Fooling around," he murmured back, one of his hands creeping between my thighs.

"Here?" I gasped. _Was he serious? _I squeezed my legs together, in an effort to stop him. _Someone might see! Though I'm not sure who. We are alone, after all._

A throaty chuckle rippled up his throat, completely disarming me. "Why not? We have six and a half minutes left."

I gulped, panting. "That's not a very long time."

"Long enough," he purred seductively, before sucking my earlobe into his mouth. His right hand moved up to the buttons of my shorts, his deft fingers making quick work of them, while his left slid upwards, over my ribs, getting higher …

My eyelids fluttered shut as my head fell back against his shoulder in surrender. He made no move to remove his own clothes, and seemed to be concerned only with my own. For what he had in mind, he was right: six and a half minutes was enough.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I'm never going to get tired of that," he said, as I started to descend from my high. He sounded so calm, so composed, yet there I was, breathless and flustered and barely able to speak in the afterglow of our lascivious antics.

"Who would have guessed?" I blushed. "Edward Cullen – a roué."

"I did try to warn you," he laughed. "I've always been a dissipated scoundrel really. I just managed to keep that part of me restrained until you said 'I do'. There's no going back now though. My inner rake is out and here to stay, so you're saddled with him whether you like it or not."

At that I grinned. "You won't hear me complaining." _Not in a million years._

As he re-buttoned my shorts, bending to lay a kiss on my shoulder, I somehow managed to pull my attention away from him and focus it on the path before us, where the first pin-prick of light suddenly appeared. Edward noticed it too, for his whole body abruptly went rigid with excitement.

We sat in silence as the meager rays grew in strength, transforming into a ghostly blue orb that cast an eerie light along the walls of the underpass, seeming to beckon us forwards. Anticipation swelled in my belly, all my muscles clenching as we sped towards it, closer and closer to the secret metropolis.

Edward grasped my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. As we raced ever forwards, I could feel my knuckles turning white as I squeezed. Closer and closer we got, and my heartbeat accelerated, getting louder and louder, sending the blood crashing through my veins, as I forgot how to breathe. Closer and closer, until finally …

We burst from the tunnel, into the cool, clean air of lost city, to a sight that completely took my breath away and left me reeling.

There before us, towering upwards like a sky-scraper, was a stunning volcano. It had a wide base, with flanks that increased in steepness the higher they went, until eventually they formed what looked like the spire of a great cathedral. Dozens of winding stairways had been carved into the rock, leading to various plateaus, each of which formed the foundations for a number of impressive buildings made from the same igneous rock as the volcano itself. The larger edifices were dark and imposing, and the Atlantians it seemed had taken most of their inspiration from Classical architecture, many of the buildings mimicking the same impressive style of the Athenian Parthenon, with large stone columns and decorated lintels. Most were single storey buildings, but there were also several multi-storey ones too. All in all, the strong, masculine designs and dark materials would have made for a rather sinister view, had it not been for the ubiquitous vines adorning the structures.

They were everywhere – dangling from arches, clinging to pillars, creeping over rooftops – and all of them offered a splendid array of strange blooms. Some resembled blue-bells with oversized stigmas, yet were pink in colour; some were spiky like sea-urchins, and came in the brightest shades of blue and purple; others were more delicate and star-shaped, ranging from white to silver. All in all, it was a breath-taking sight, but there was more contributing to Atlantis's beauty than simple plant-life.

Down here, in the depths of the ocean, where there was only limited sunlight, the flowers relied on the ghostly balls of light suspended in midair above the city, identical to the one that had hovered at the end of the tunnel. Together, they bathed the area in an ethereal blue glow, which was intensified all the more by the sapphire hue of the surrounding waters. I had never seen anything so enchanting.

The sea itself was kept at bay by the colossal, transparent shield surrounding Atlantis. It was two and a half miles wide, as Thyroros had already explained. At its pinnacle, the shield dipped down, forming a funnel that connected with the volcano's summit. I guessed it had been designed that way to protect the city in the event of a volcanic eruption. The lava would be channeled straight out into the sea, where it would cool and solidify. I assumed the merpeople living on the opposite side of the shield would receive plenty of warning before something like that actually happened.

I gaped in awe as I watched a school of them play chase with a pod of dolphins – their pets – around the borders of the city. They were far more attractive than the selkies that live in The Black Lake at Hogwarts.

The sirens, as they were called, were aptly named; not only were they able to enchant humans with their otherworldly voices, they were also incredibly beautiful to the point where it was impossible not to stare. The mermen were tall and muscular like Olympic swimmers, while the mermaids were curvaceous, yet still somehow lean and athletic. They each possessed a set of striking, large eyes, some blue and some green; their hair was long and wild, ranging from blond to jet, and tumbled down their backs like seaweed; their shimmering lips were plump and as pale as the inside of an oyster shell; what's more, their skin was white and pearlescent like a vampire's.

Another obvious difference between the anatomies of sirens and selkies was the shape of their tails. The upper-body of a siren, apart from a set of gills on each side of their throat, was almost identical to a human's. Because of the shape of their spinal columns and the way they moved, their tails were more like those belonging to dolphins, with horizontal fins that they beat in an up and down motion, unlike selkies, who had evolved with shark tails that moved from side to side. Moreover, the tails of the Sirens were far more lovely, thanks to iridescent scales that came in a variety of arresting colours, including vivid emerald, vibrant turquoise, stunning cerulean, gorgeous sapphire and, last but not least, mesmerising violet.

The females wore thin bandeaus crafted from strips of black, leathery seaweed, but apart from that they sported no extra adornment. Anything else, after all, would have been completely superfluous.

"Incredible," I heard myself whisper, as the cart came to a stop beside another raised platform, this time at the base of the volcano.

Edward nodded in agreement, his eyes just as wide as mine.

After we climbed from the cart, we headed straight for the souvenir shop, which was conveniently located right next to the city's entrance. There we purchased a guidebook and a map, before venturing out to begin our exploration of the city.

The coliseum, which lay at the very foot of the volcano, was our first stop. It was very similar to the one in Rome, only it was completely intact and used for Quidditch matches, as opposed to barbaric fights to the death.

Already, fans were spilling into the stadium, counting down the minutes to the game. Somehow, Edward managed to get us in – the best seats in the house, no less. All it took was one conversation in fluent Greek and a ridiculous bribe, and that was that. Usually I would have admonished him for throwing his cash around, but it was impossible to be angry when his actions meant that we would have the opportunity to watch the Argonauts battle the Spearheads.

Despite their valiant efforts, though, the Argonauts couldn't overcome their ruthless opponents. They earned a grand total of one hundred and twenty points during the eighty minute match, but conceded fifteen goals to the Spartans, whose Seeker – the tenacious Aeolus Leventis– eventually captured the Snitch. Fortunately, the Atlantians were gracious losers, so their loss didn't put too much of a dampener on things.

Once the game had ended, Edward and I progressed further up the volcano, stopping at intervals to explore various tourist attractions, including the local museum, which contained an abundance of vibrant paintings depicting the history of Atlantis, as well as portraits of long dead men and women who were only too happy to recount their experiences.

"We had to sink it," one (practically deaf) wizard told us. "It was around the time of the Trojan War, you see. A thousand ships were getting ready to cross the Aegean, and ... well … it was all a bit too noisy."

I blinked, a little incredulous.

The Einstein-look alike nodded solemnly. "Yes, yes, very noisy indeed. Agamemnon was hell-bent on extending his dominion, and every day it was war, war and more war! When he set his sights on the neighbouring Muggle city, we decided we'd had enough. There are only so many times you can listen to the blare of a battle horn and retain your sanity."

The wizard gave us an expectant stare, probably waiting for our assent. I gave him a shaky smile, nervous laughter spewing through my lips, before I cast my eyes in Edward's direction. My vampire boyfriend returned my gaze with wide, disbelieving eyes, his thoughts clearly mirroring mine.

_Talk about going to extremes._

"What some people will do to escape noisy neighbours," he said with a shake of his head, once we'd left the museum, to which I guffawed.

"Says a guy whose family lives in the middle of nowhere."

At that, he rolled his eyes. "Oh sure, it would be _entirely _feasible for a mind-reader and his fellow vampires to live in the centre of town."

Despite his logic, I couldn't help by snigger. The notion of the Cullens attempting to integrate themselves into a regular Muggle neighbourhood was far too amusing to dismiss. I couldn't even begin to imagine the complaints they'd receive.

_Chief Swan, _Carlisle would say, _to what do we owe the pleasure?_

_Well, Carlisle, _my father would reply, _there've been reports of a flying tree, which apparently came from the direction of your back yard. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that now, would you?_

_Oh sorry, Officer, that would be Emmett's fault. He threw the maple at Jasper just this morning. Not to worry, though – Jasper might not eat porridge, but bears certainly do, and we all know how much my boy likes those. He's a good strong lad, Sir._

I threw back my head with a snort, earning a quizzical look from my husband. I merely shook my head. Edward chuckled and returned his attention to the guide book we'd purchased.

"Anything interesting?" I asked, as we approached the city docks, where a wide wooden pier extended out towards the edge of the shield. On either side of this pier, gently swaying from side to side as they hovered in mid-air, there lay an impressive selection of ships. They were the type of vessels you would expect to be captained by respectable gentlemen in breeches, stockings and blue coats, or maybe even epaulettes.

The ships mostly resembled the one that had transported the Durmstrang students to Hogwarts during my fourth year at school. Many had large masts with highly colourful sails, yet there were others that had no mast whatsoever and looked more like the long and narrow barges that could often be seen floating down British canals. Despite the diversity, I was sure they all carried the same magical enchantments, to protect themselves from the waters they explored. My suspicions were soon confirmed.

"It says here that all the boats are enchanted, to allow for full submersion," explained Edward. "Apparently the Atlantians were responsible for the first magical submarine. They use them to transport the rock harvested from the seabed after a volcanic eruption. It's all part of their trading process."

"Trading process?"

"Yes," he continued. His eyes glittered as he scanned the page of the guidebook, before he swiftly flicked to the next. "Atlantians live in harmony with the local merpeople, whose own city, Neptos, is just over a mile away. Trade is part of their daily life. According to this, merpeople aren't all that great when it comes to construction and refurbishments, so they capture seafood for the witches and wizards here in exchange for the expert help of the city's architects and stonemasons. The Atlantians also offer them medical care whenever they're injured. Merpeople have to battle off sharks and giant squid, and while they usually survive, more often than not they're severely injured.

"That's why sirens no longer use their songs to lure humans to their deaths. Doing so would be counter-productive."

I felt my blood run cold at his words. How could creatures so beautiful and lovely have acted so heartlessly in the past? I knew from my lessons at Hogwarts that sirens had once upon a time feasted upon the bodies of the people they captured. After dazzling their prey with their exquisite appearances and heavenly voices, men and women would gladly follow them into the treacherous sea, where they would suffer an agonising death.

Luckily, there hadn't been a siren attack reported for centuries. The sea-beings had sacrificed their sinister diet long ago, much like the glorious creature walking beside me.

"Listen to this," Edward said excitedly, before continuing to read. "Although sirens have excellent eyesight, they rely primarily on their powerful sonar, which can penetrate up to five feet through sand and mud with impressive resolution. This ability allows them to relocate the materials they store beneath the sand, as well as enabling them to detect predators or schools of fish from great distances."

I smiled indulgently. He looked like a kid at Christmas. "Wow, that's actually pretty cool."

"More than cool, it's phenomenal! I'd love to speak with the wizards who trade with them."

"It must be your lucky day," I laughed, gesturing to the very edge of the shield, where a group of wizards were heaving a large net of fish and crab through the transparent wall. Perhaps the shield worked specifically against the elements – water and fire – while still allowing people, animals and inanimate objects to pass backwards and forwards through the barrier.

A school of Mermen were helping them to ease the net through, beating their enormous tails to propel themselves forwards. Naturally I was wary of them; I would have been a fool if I hadn't been a little bit cautious. Even so, I was intrigued, too, and while Edward distracted himself with the ships, striking up an animated conversation with a friendly dock work, I wandered closer and closer to the barrier.

My blatant interest didn't escape the mermen's notice either. As their catch finally tumbled through the glassy barrier, the net's contents spilling onto the deck, the head of a young siren snapped in my direction.

His eyes were a fierce blue, and his short hair was as black as coal. He had a trident strapped to his back, which he no doubt used to defend himself against hungry predators. A shark tooth hung from his neck, held in place by a thin strip of seaweed.

The siren held my gaze, eyes piercing, a rakish smile slowly creeping across his pale face. He lifted a hand in front of him, curling his index finger at me – an obvious command.

Suddenly, I was completely overcome by the urgent and overwhelming desire to turn and run. When I tried to move my legs, though, I felt as if the soles of my feet had been cemented to the floor. They simply wouldn't budge! I couldn't escape, yet every instinct I had was screaming at me to get as far away from the edge of the shield as I could. I felt like a guppy staring into the face of a killer-whale.

The merman raised an eyebrow, and I immediately shook my head, refusing to take a single step closer.

Behind me, I heard Edward ask something about speed, before someone with a gruff voice began prattling on about knots below seawater. Neither of them had noticed the fact that I had captured the attention of a dangerous aquatic being, for there was no doubt in my mind that he was precisely that – dangerous. The dock men, too, were of no help to me. They'd disappeared into the closest fish house.

I wanted to cry out – to demand help – but my tongue was as heavy as lead in my mouth. What was happening to me? Why couldn't I concentrate?

When the siren realised that I would not comply with his order, his eyes immediately darkened and his smile grew. What happened next, I wasn't entirely sure. One moment I was lucid and in control of my own mind, and the next I couldn't even hear my thoughts, because they were completely drowned out by deep, mellifluous tones of the siren, whose song was a net invented to ensnare me. His hypnotic voice echoed through the barrier, as smooth as honey, reeling me in.

I was intoxicated. I literally couldn't think, and if at that moment I had been asked my name, I doubt I would have been able to answer.

My feet moved of their own accord. All I could see was the salacious smile of the merman, who held out his hand for me to grasp, waiting for the opportune moment, as he continued to sing.

Erivè la seth

Nina, nina

Denivè la seth

Elysia, nina

Tu nevoré a―

A savage roar burst through my ears, shattering the spell in an instant. The merman lunged forwards in a last attempt to grab me, his hand shooting through the shield and swiping for mine. Edward was faster though. His arm curled around my waist, swinging me behind him in one blindingly fast manoeuvre, before his own hand shot forwards, striking like a cobra.

The siren shrieked in agony as the vampire snapped his wrist back, breaking the bones as easily as twigs. His high ringing wail had the same effect as a foghorn in a snowy mountain pass: like an avalanche, every merman and mermaid in hearing distance came hurtling in our direction, the serene expressions now banished from their faces, replaced instead with murderous glares.

There were hundreds of them, all congregating at the edge of the city, their eyes focused solely on Edward and me, as they bared their razor sharp canines.

The noise had also alerted the wizards working on the ships and in the fish houses. Not a second had passed before they came pouring out onto the pier, looking shocked and confused.

"What is going on here?" one wizard demanded. He had a strong Greek accent, and wore nothing but a pair of khaki shorts, not even footwear.

"Ask him!" Edward snarled, his teeth gleaming in the ghostly light, as he pointed to the injured siren.

On the other side of the shield, the siren I took to be the leader glared back at Edward. He was older than many of the others, but still handsome, muscular and toned, with a wild mop of dark hair. The cord around his neck bore seven shark teeth, a warning of his strength and skill. His gaze shifted to me, narrowing infinitesimally, before his face took on a knowing look. Not a second later, he spun to stare at the offending merman, his eyes turning as cold as the darkest reaches of the ocean he inhabited.

When he growled a moment later, speaking in a tongue I did not understand, the young merman had the decency to look slightly apologetic. It didn't last though; the remorse faded from his face and, despite the pain he must have been suffering, he laughed, his eyes once again boring into mine, before he performed a very suggestive gesture with his hand and mouth.

Edward's response was like thunder in my ears. Understandably, he was completely irate. When the merpeople saw his reaction, they wisely obeyed the barked commands of their leader, who must have ordered them to escort the idiot siren back to their city.

I breathed a sigh of relief when he disappeared with two other mermen, after being refused medical treatment for the damage Edward had inflicted.

We watched in silence as the leading siren spoke solemnly in Greek-Mermish with an elderly wizard, his eyes constantly flitting in my direction. When the conversation was over, he released a high piercing whistle, not entirely unlike that of a dolphin, and the whole party dispersed. The merman was just about to leave himself, when suddenly he froze.

I shuffled uncomfortably from side to side under his gaze, wondering why he was continuing to stare at me, when he abruptly whistled again, his eyes narrowing to slits.

Beside me, Edward froze too.

I peered in confusion at the merman. His stony gaze was no longer directed at my face. Instead, it was fixed on my abdomen.

Once again, he whistled, causing my ears to ring.

I suddenly became aware of Edward's breathing, or lack thereof. He stood completely motionless, his dark expression transforming into one of complete awe, as he watched the troubled siren, who was now regarding me as though I had suddenly grown an extra head.

In perfect English, he uttered the words, "I have never heard of this. This has never happened before. It doesn't make any sense."

The air left Edward's lungs with a _whoosh_, right before he started breathing like a man who couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. I watched him, panic-stricken, my eyes darting back and forth between him and the sea-being.

What the _hell _was happening here? Why were they staring?

The merman shook his head, his expression one of complete disbelief. After what seemed like an age, his eyes ever so slowly moved back up my body, until he once again held my gaze. Then, without so much as a parting 'farewell', he silently turned his back to us, before using his powerful fins to thrust himself away – back out into the blue. I watched him go with the others, until he was no more than a small dot on a sapphire panorama.

"What the heck was that about?" I demanded, turning to Edward, who, judging by his reaction, had clearly been able to access the merman's mind. I had to wait for what must have been a good thirty seconds for him to answer me.

When he finally did, his voice was little more than a whisper. "I need to talk to you."

I felt my brow furrow. "Is that not what we're doing now?"

"In private," he replied succinctly. I didn't know what to make of it. There was something in his eyes – some brightness, like a firework observed from afar – that hinted at some hidden emotion.

"Ok," I said, "but first can someone tell me why I almost wandered into the sea just now?"

The elderly wizard that had addressed the siren leader was the one to enlighten me. He explained that although the sirens had stopped killing humans centuries ago, they were still shameless flirts, infamous for their libidos. Male sirens in particular were notorious philanders, and it was by no means uncommon to hear that one had beguiled some poor, innocent witch, before whisking her away to a secret underwater location to have his wicked way with her. In cases like these, it wasn't helpful that the shield automatically placed a bubble-head charm on anyone who passed through it. The witch would turn up a week later, bow-legged and confused, barely able to remember what had happened to her following her disappearance.

I listened quietly in disgust, outraged that I had very nearly been tricked into having sex with a fish man. Me, a married woman! Not that his actions would have been any less despicable had I been single.

When I asked the wizard about the song the siren had dazzled me with, he told me that it was an ancient Mermish incantation, almost as old as the sea itself. He recounted it for me, singing it in full, although – thankfully – not to the same effect.

Erivè la seth

Nina, nina

Denivè la seth

Elysia, nina

Tu nevoré avirè

Nina, nina

Ni thellen e seth

Se thelia, nina

Ni thellen e seth

I didn't care much for the translation, particularly the refrain.

Come with me

Goddess, goddess

Find with me

Elysium, Goddess

Where I will make you sing

Goddess, goddess

More beautifully than I

My beauty, goddess

More beautifully than I

"That slimy, arrogant git!" I spat, recalling the dissolute smile of the merman who would have pulled me away. "Goddess – are you kidding me? Who says that? Ack!"

I half expected Edward to back me up with an angry growl, but when I looked up at him, I was bewildered to find that his expression was beatific. Actually, I was a little bit frightened that he might have been possessed. This was not his normal behaviour. "Perhaps we should check in at the hotel."

He nodded, staring serenely back at me.

_Okaaaaay._

We said goodbye to the dock men, then, who warned us to 'stay away from merfolk in future', to which we agreed.

Our hotel – The Imperial Trident – was composed of three aligned towers connected by stone bridges. Each tower looked like it had been built from a dozen classical temples, one positioned directly on top of the other. The middle tower was three storeys taller than those to the left and right. Aside from the volcano, the hotel was easily the tallest thing in Atlantis, its highest point only a few metres from the roof of the shield.

"Are you going to explain now?" I asked as we trekked up a winding stairway, towards the majestic building.

"Not until we're inside," Edward replied, smiling apologetically. "Once we're in our room, though, I _will _explain. It's just something I'd prefer to do without all these people around."

"Why?"

"Because it's a private matter, Bella, and, as such, should be discussed _in private._"

I couldn't exactly argue with that.

We had only made it half way to the hotel when my stomach began complaining. _Oi! Oi, you, feed me!_

I tried to downplay my hunger, telling my husband that eating could wait, eager as I was for the conversation he was currently postponing. Edward wouldn't have it, though. He ignored my protests entirely, insisting that I needed sustenance, before pulling me into the first restaurant he laid eyes on. At first I was annoyed by the delay, but when the waiter placed in front of me another large, juicy steak, I really couldn't resist.

Once again, I demolished it. I actually felt like a bit of a pig, and wondered briefly why I'd recently been acting like one. In the space of a few weeks, I had transformed from a slow eater into a human trashcan. Perhaps I should change my name to 'Dustbin Extraordinaire'. Seriously, I could put almost anything down.

Just as I was tossing the last bloody piece into my mouth, I heard the voice of a passing tour guide, who happened to be leading a large group of tourists up the hillside, walking backwards as she addressed her audience.

"And just up here we have the main plateau, upon which you will find the city hall and its guardian sphinxes. Some of you may know that giant sphinxes can astral project, turning themselves to stone in the process. Léaina and Gáta, the twin sphinxes, have not resumed their physical form since 1945, when they returned to announce that the Muggle war had finally come to an end."

_Hmm, interesting. _"I wonder what they're doing when they're not inside their bodies," I wondered.

Edward smiled. "Probably spying on government officials or watching MTV."

I frowned. "Um … I'm sure they have better things to do than that. Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

He nodded. "Yup, I feel awesome."

"Huh." _Awesome … odd._

After Edward paid the bill, we recommenced our journey to the hotel, which took us through the main square, where, as promised, their lay an impressive town hall, on either side of which were two enormous stone sphinxes with unseeing eyes. In the strange blue light of the overhanging orbs, their white bodies looked striking against the black buildings, seeming to glow.

Like the other tourists flooding the area, most of whom were furiously clicking their cameras, we stopped to gaze up at the intimidating statues.

"They're amazing, aren't they?" said Edward.

I nodded, completely awestruck. In fact, I was so overwhelmed by the sheer size of the petrified creatures that I didn't even acknowledge the fact that the ground began to tremor and shake until people nearby started to scream, at which point an incredible racket filled the square as furniture outside local restaurants bounced off the ground, while plates vibrated off tables and smashed on the hard floor. As the quake became more violent, I grabbed a hold of Edward, who protectively wound his arms around me, pulling my body against his own.

Terrified now, I followed his line of sight, my eyes quickly coming to rest on the guardians of the square, whose impenetrable skin suddenly began to crack and fragment, crumbling away to reveal a pair of bodies that were perfectly preserved and youthful in appearance.

Absolute silence settled over the area as the tremors died away and the sphinxes – golden-skinned, black haired creatures with catlike bodies – opened their eyes in unison.

_Nineteen forty-five! _my brain screamed at me. _Nineteen forty-five! Why now?_

Perhaps I was far too paranoid for my own good – that or egotistical – but I had an overwhelming feeling that their sudden transformation had something to do with me. Too many strange things had happened to me recently; this would simply be the icing on the cake.

My worst fears were confirmed when two pairs of ancient golden eyes suddenly found my face.

"Well, well," one of them said, "there she is."

The blood rushed from my cheeks in an instant. I felt cold.

"Indeed," the other nodded, seeming bemused. "You wouldn't think it to look at her, would you?"

"Definitely not. If anything, she seems a bit meek to me."

_Meek? Me? _My fingernails ground into the skin of my palms, but I barely registered the pain. Everyone was staring now, and, to be honest, I had reached the end of my tether.

"I concur. She's definitely meek."

_ARGH! _"Is this some kind of joke?" I snapped, officially pissed.

Edward's sudden intake of breath sounded in my ears. I ignored the gentle warning squeeze he gave my arms.

"Joke?" the sphinx to the left repeated, cocking her head to the side.

"That's what I said, isn't it?" I answered rudely. At this point, I was beyond caring about my manners, a fact that the sphinxes clearly did not appreciate, judging by the scowls that subsequently settled over their faces.

"Watch it, girl," hissed the one on the right. "You may be protected, but we could easily make your life difficult if you anger us."

"That's right," said her twin, while I stared at them in utter bewilderment.

_Protected? _What did _that_ mean?

They glared at me for a moment longer, and then, without warning, the cold expressions of these monstrous beings melted into soft smiles. Were sphinxes bipolar or something?

"I'm Léaina," said the one on the left, "and I retract my previous statement. Clearly, you are not meek."

"Agreed," said the sphinx who could only be Gáta. "That little display you just put on was anything but. It's a pleasure to meet you, Isabella Cullen."

I blinked dumbly back at them, not quite sure how to respond.

The people in the square continued to watch in silence. I squirmed when I realised that some were pointing their cameras at me. Evidently they had no idea why they were doing this. They probably assumed though that I must somehow be important. If a pair of ancient guardians had broken their sleep simply to talk to me, I could see why they would make that assumption, however wrong it may have been.

Eventually, I managed to locate my voice to return the sphinx's greeting, but aside from a simple 'hello', I didn't really know what to say. I mean, really, what _do_ you say to two giant cat ladies?

"Why did you wake up?" I asked, still not entirely sure.

Léaina shrugged. "We wanted to see you for ourselves, with our own eyes."

"I don't understand why."

Gáta chuckled, before addressing her sister. "She doesn't realise how special she is."

"But I'm not special," I told them, and, as usual, my lack of self-esteem provoked a response from Edward.

"Don't say that," he reproached softly. "You _are _special."

Naturally, I rolled my eyes at him. He was biased, after all.

"You should listen to your husband. He knows what he's talking about." When my brow furrowed with disbelief, Gáta chuckled and said, "We don't leave a CIA meeting for anyone, you know."

"CIA meeting?" I resisted the urge to glance at Edward, even when alarm bells started blaring in my head.

_I wonder what they're doing when they're not inside their bodies._

_Probably spying on government officials or watching MTV._

Maybe I really was paranoid.

Léaina nodded, her tail gently whipping the air. At first I thought she'd somehow heard my thoughts, but I relaxed a little a moment later when I realised that wasn't the case. "We like to call it the Assange saga," she giggled. "Personally I'm rooting for him. Anyone on the opposite side to Sarah Palin has my vote."

Gáta shuddered. "Do _not _mention that woman's name, Leaina. You know full well that I start to get a nervous twitch whenever I think about her."

Sure enough, the sphinx's right eye instantly began twitching, her claws simultaneously scraping against the paved ground. I glanced at Edward, who, for some reason, looked entirely unsurprised by the strange display. You'd think he'd met a sphinx before!

"Don't mind her," said Léaina, gesturing to her sister with a flick of her head. "She's simply not a fan of self-proclaimed pitbulls."

"Please," Gáta wailed, "no more!"

Part of me wanted to laugh as she covered her head with her paws, her twitch increasing its frequency; on the other hand, I was still entirely freaked out whole situation.

"Anyway," Léaina smiled, "that's pretty much it. We merely wanted to look upon the girl who's causing such a stir, and now that we have, we'll be off."

Once again, I stared dumbly.

"Wait! What?" cried Edward. "That's it – you're going now?"

Léaina arched an eyebrow, seeming amused. "Pretty much."

"And you have nothing else to say? Nothing at all?"

"What else is there?" frowned Léaina. "Akharet was right – Bella is strong."

Edward flinched, his eyes glued to the sphinx's. I inspected him closely. Léaina had thrown something completely new into the mix, yet not once did my husband bother to question her about it – not once did he bother to ask her about the identity of this mysterious 'Akharet'. Ultimately, that only served in increasing my suspicion to an even further extent.

"Who's Akharet?" I asked, since Edward clearly wasn't about to.

Gáta's head shot up from beneath her paws. Like her sister, she regarded me silently.

"Who's Akharet?" I repeated, when my question went unanswered.

Once again, Léaina cocked her head to the side. "Someone who, nowadays," she murmured, "is never very far from you, Isabella Cullen."

They twins stared down at me for a moment longer, and just as it became clear that that was the only answer I would receive, their bodies slowly began to transform. The golden hue disappeared from their skin, and their hair turned from the darkest jet to a chalky white. Ten seconds – that was all it took for the metamorphosis to complete itself – for the sphinxes to sink back into their silent slumber.

In the absolute quiet, I once again became acutely aware of the fact that I was currently the centre of attention. Perhaps that was why I suddenly felt as sick as a dog.

"I think I need to throw up," I announced, covering my mouth with my palm. That was all I needed to say before Edward scooped me up in his arms and took off up the mountainside.

Luckily, I managed to hold it together until we made it to the room he'd booked, which, unsurprisingly, was the penthouse suite located at the top of the hotel's middle tower. Three minutes after our arrival, I spilled my guts into the sparkling toilet, while Edward held back my hair.

When the last bit of my last meal had finally slipped up my gullet and out into the porcelain basin, I reached up to flush the chain. Afterwards, my entire body seemed to sag. Needless to say, I was thoroughly exhausted.

"I'm sorry," I croaked. "This isn't something you should have to see."

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella," Edward argued, bending down beside me. "In sickness and in health, remember?"

"Ugh."

Somehow, I managed to find the energy to get up off the floor, so that I could brush my teeth. Edward waited patiently for me to finish, before he once again scooped me into his arms. I winced, frightened that I would throw up on him. Luckily, there was nothing left in my stomach, so that didn't happen.

"Are you going to tell me why you've been acting so strangely now?" I questioned, after he deposited me on the snowy, king-sized bed that looked out onto the balcony. Really, it was a spectacular penthouse: white tulle curtains, Egyptian cotton sheets, silk throw cushions – the whole shebang.

The vampire nodded slowly, too quiet for my liking. My eyes followed his every move as he came to sit by me on the soft mattress. He was worrying his lip like a troubled human, running his hand through his hair every now and then – a sign of stress.

"Edward, you're scaring me. What is it?"

Slowly, he inhaled a long, deep breath, holding it inside his lungs for what seemed like forever. Finally, though, he exhaled noisily, and it was only then that I realised that I too had been holding my breath.

"Bella, I don't even know where to start," he sighed, his eyes searching mine.

"Start at the beginning," I shrugged. When his brow furrowed, I added, "The sirens … you can hear their thoughts, can't you?"

He nodded.

"Well, what happened with that last one – the one in charge? His thoughts shocked you. I could tell by your expression."

Edward couldn't seem to hold my gaze. His eyes were downcast, settling on our interlaced fingers as he continued to gnaw his lip. "This is really difficult," he huffed, "I don't know how to tell you without freaking you out."

_Oh crap. _I gulped. Was it that bad?

"Do you remember me telling you that sirens have a type of sonar?"

I nodded, recalling him mentioning it when he'd been reading the guidebook.

"That was what that high pitched whistle was. Like I said earlier, they usually use it to detect approaching predators, but as you saw, the merman used it to scatter the crowd, and when he did, he noticed something."

"Noticed what?" I breathed, feeling my heart accelerate. Where in Merlin's beard was he going with this? I flinched as I suddenly felt his cold hand touch my belly.

His gaze was so intense that I could barely hold it, so I was grateful when his eyes moved downwards – down, down – until finally they came to rest on my abdomen, the deep green of his irises burning, like leaves on a bonfire, with unending reverence.

Somewhere at the back of my mind, part of my brain had already figured out what he was trying to tell me, but the rest of me was behind, wading through the thick fog that suddenly seemed to be clouding my head.

Edward's hand … on my abdomen, his thumb stroking my exposed skin.

Lovingly.

Worshipfully.

My abdomen …

And then it clicked. The final cog turned, and all of a sudden I could see _everything – _all of a sudden, I understood _everything: _the mood-swings, the sleeping, the voracious appetite, the fact that I'd missed my period (which I'd only just realised)!

"Oh god," I whispered.

Edward froze.

Immediately, I sprung from the bed, my heart flying into overdrive as I frantically began to pace the room, barely able to breathe as I tried to make sense of the pandemonium inside my head.

"Oh god."

"Bella―"

"Oh god, oh god."

"Bella, are you―"

"Oh god, oh god, oh god!"

"Bella, breathe," Edward instructed, flashing to my side.

_Breathe? _He wanted me to breathe? How? How could one breathe when one had suddenly realised they were displaying all the symptoms of a woman closer to three months pregnant than three weeks? My hands ghosted down my torso, coming to rest between my hips, where, sure enough, there was a subtle but definite bump.

I rushed back into the bathroom, yanking my shirt over my head and letting it drop to the floor. I must have examined myself from every angle, ignoring Edward's reflection as he watched me press my fingers over my slightly bloated belly. It wouldn't give at all, and I was surprised by how rock hard it was.

"Impossible," I said to myself. "Impossible."

How could I be pregnant? The only person I'd ever had sex with was a vampire, for crying out loud! A vampire who, up until a few moments ago, I had believed to be infertile. Yet, here we were – expecting!

Shocked didn't even begin to cover how I felt at that moment. I would have worn a hole in the floor had Edward not pulled me to a stop, his hands closing gently around my hips.

"It's going to be all right, Bella," he murmured. "We're going to get through this."

"W-we are?"

He nodded, his eyes boring into mine. "Of course we are. I'd never let anything happen to you. Do you hear me?"

I nodded back.

"Good," he sighed, his features relaxing a bit. "I know your mind must be all over the place, but could you tell me what you're thinking, please? Are you all right?"

He looked anxious. I blinked dumbly. What _was _I thinking? Did I _want _to be a mother? Honestly, I had no idea. I'd barely managed to wrap my head around the fact that I was carrying Edward's child.

That was the moment I froze.

_Edward's child_, I realised. Up until now, the blob in my belly had been completely faceless – an arrangement of cells, more a thing than a person. But those two little words changed everything. It took little more than a second to process, and then the image of a perfect tiny face exploded like a firework through my mind, branding itself into my thoughts.

Would he have his father's eyes? I wondered. Would he have his perfect smile, his glossy bronze hair and his perfectly angled features? Would he have his immortal strength, his speed, his gift? Would he be magical, like me – his mother?

"It doesn't make any sense," I whispered. My eyes glazed over as I stared back at my reflection. "Vampires can't have children."

"Female vampires can't have children, Bella," Edward corrected, speaking softly. "Their bodies can't accommodate a pregnancy, because they are unchanging. They cannot menstruate like humans. They cannot adapt like humans, thus making it impossible to conceive. You, however, _do_ change, every single day in fact. And how would anyone know that this were possible unless they tried?"

He was right, of course. Who would bother to test such a thing? What vampire would have the self-control or the desire to test whether or not it was possible to produce a child with a human woman? The answer was obvious: only Edward.

I watched him approach me in the mirror, my eyes never leaving his. He stood behind me, his hands once again coming to rest over my subtle bulge. What happened next changed us completely.

A soft nudge bumped his reverent hands from inside my body.

Suddenly, we were no longer just 'Edward and Bella'. It was no longer simply the two of us. Instead, it was the three of us, perfect and happy and blinking in wonder.

"I didn't just imagine that, did I?" I whispered breathlessly.

In answer to my question, the little nudger kicked again, strengthening the spell he'd cast only moments ago. Edward's soft beam greeted the silent tears that started streaming down my face.

Was this why the sphinxes had been so interested in me – because I was carrying the first vampire baby in existence? It made sense.

We stood there, peering at our reflection, for a very long time. I didn't want to move, nor did Edward. I could have stood there forever, content to let him hold my swelling belly, absorbing like a sponge the love he was exuding for me and our baby.

"What now?" I wondered finally, when my feet began to ache. What does one do when they find out they're carrying a vampire hybrid? I arched my neck to the side as Edward bent to lay a kiss on my throat. I felt his smile against my skin.

"Hmm, why don't we celebrate?" he suggested.

I grinned affectionately. "What do you have in mind?"

But, of course, I already knew the answer to that.

**EPOV**

There were no words to describe the emotion that had surged through me when the siren's sonar revealed the little miracle growing inside my wife. I'd wanted to kill someone for what had almost happened to Bella, and was ready to dive into the blue after the bastard that had tried to kidnap her.

But all that fury had vanished the moment I'd been given irrefutable evidence that Renesmee was alive. She may have been small and undeveloped, but she was alive – growing – inside the body of a woman that would surely come to love her as fiercely as I did already.

The only thing I was dissatisfied about was the fact that the merman had only been able to make out the amniotic sac, which I suspected was too thick to penetrate. Still, it was clear proof that our daughter was on her way, and that fact alone made me want to run through the streets and announce the good news at the top of my lungs.

Once Bella had overcome the initial shock, I'd taken her to bed where I worshipped her in every way I knew how. With George's pills, it was literally as easy as breathing. I could hold her as tightly as I pleased, and she wouldn't break. I could completely surrender myself to the euphoria of loving her without having to worry that I'd make a fatal error.

After we finished, I lay on my side, propping myself up on one elbow, my head adjacent with her hip. Gently, I grazed my fingers over her belly, eliciting a soft sigh as I moved them back and forth.

"I hope he looks like you," Bella purred, enjoying the sensation.

My brow furrowed. "He? What makes you think we're having a boy?"

She shrugged. "I don't necessarily. It's just easier to imagine your features on a boy. Translating them to a girl's face is difficult. Why, which would you prefer?"

"A girl," I said automatically, without really thinking. It occurred to me a second later that I shouldn't have admitted to that. Parents were supposed to be overjoyed with their baby, whatever its gender, but the idea of Renesmee was already so firmly fixed in my mind that no other child would ever be good enough. No other could compare.

"Why a girl?" enquired my curious wife, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"Because I know what it's like to look after a little girl," I grinned at her. It wasn't necessarily a lie. "You were the cutest toddler I'd ever seen, Bella. As angry as I was that Pansy Parkinson had spiked your drink with a youth potion, I can't say I didn't enjoy taking care of you."

"I'm sure a boy would be just as much fun," she said with a role of her eyes. "It doesn't really matter, as long as they're healthy."

_You're wrong, _I thought, because it _did _matter.

Only Renesmee would be good enough.

"That feels nice," Bella breathed, closing her eyes as I continued to stroke her abdomen. We chuckled together a second later when the baby – her Little Nudger, as she liked to call her – kicked. Bella's smile was short-lived though, and all too soon her expression transformed.

"This is happening too quickly," she muttered, clearly anxious about our future. Up until now, I had put off thinking about the difficulties we might encounter with such an accelerated pregnancy. I was terrified for sure, but I also had faith in the vision I'd had in Akharet's chamber. The sphinx had made it clear that Bella's destiny extended well beyond simple childbirth. That said, I believed with every last fibre of my being that we would get through this. We had to; there was no other option.

"We have magic on our side, Bella. We'll find a way, I promise." I moved further up the bed then, pulling her into my arms. She sighed deeply, before nodding her head.

"I know we will. It's just scary, that's all."

"I think that's normal."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Nothing about this is normal, Edward."

"Even so, it doesn't change the fact that we're going to be ok," I assured her. "You, me _and _the baby."

"I like the sound of that," she smiled, leaning in to kiss me.

I kissed her back, inhaling her scent. Now that I knew for definite that it wasn't a trick of my mind, the smell of vampire was unmistakeable. It was faint, but clear – impossible not to notice.

Bella slept peacefully, her heart thumping out a gentle melody. I could say without any shadow of a doubt that watching her dream that night easily made the list of my top ten favourite experiences. I kept my hand on her abdomen the entire time, delighting in each tiny kick to my palm.

God, I was happy – so very happy. Never would I have guessed until now that it were possible for someone like me to experience so much joy at once.

I had once believed that 1918 had been the year I'd been condemned to hell – the year I had lost my soul. Now, though, reflecting on my life, I knew that that hadn't been the case. My soul was very much intact, and not only that – I was also a happily married man and father to be.

At that moment in time, with Bella in my arms and our daughter on the way, the word 'hell' seemed completely unfamiliar – foreign. If there was one thing that decades of study had taught me, though, it was this: foreign words, more often than not, are usually easy to learn.

**A/N: If you're still interested in this story, give a dog a bone – review. Please? *Insert wibbly lip.***


	4. Hello, Chaos

**A/N: Did I ever mention I'm rubbish at keeping promises? I said a month … I failed. On the upside, at least it wasn't seven. Also I came 1****st****. Thanks to those who bothered to devote a ****minute of their time to vote. I love you all. And now …**

**EPOV**

The night was not as quiet as I'd expected it to be. Even after the city's witches and wizards had retired to their beds, the musical echoes of dolphins and killer whales continued to penetrate the enormous shield, providing an enchanting lullaby for men and women to sleep to. It was actually rather soothing.

Bella slept soundly all through the night, stirring only once when the tiny baby growing inside her kicked.

"There now," I murmured to her bump, stroking it with feather-light pressure.

Bella sighed. "Bloody, please."

I laughed silently at her dream-speak.

Whilst she slept, I visualised the face of the little girl I had seen in the vision and in the dream she'd had before the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw match last year at Hogwarts. Part of me wanted to remind her of it, but another part – a greater part – wanted to see her surprise when Renesmee finally arrived. Bella would love her completely; of that I had no doubt. How could she not?

Eventually, the darkness started to lift, not by much, but there was still a change in light as the rays from above began to filter down through the water. The warm, briny scent of the city permeated the room, filling the still air of the grand boudoir.

Thanks to the constant geothermal activity taking place beneath the underwater terrain, the metropolis could almost rival Isle Esme in temperature. As a result, Bella once again kicked off the covers in her sleep, my icy skin becoming a magnet for her overheated body. She shuffled closer and closer, draping her right leg over my thigh and her right arm across my chest.

As always, I was exceedingly grateful for the fact that she slept spectacularly naked. Admiring her glorious, willowy body was one pastime I knew I would never tire of. Before I'd married her, I had always felt a little guilty whenever I'd allowed my eyes to wander to those places they had no business in being. Every day, I'd had to battle what Bella would call my archaic moral principles. Of course, now that I had a marriage certificate naming me her husband, signed by both of us in indelible ink, I was no longer required to conceal the fact that I was a shameless pervert. The days of cheeky peeking were over. As far as I was concerned, I had a licence to ogle.

It was all part of my job description. As her husband, I had made it my mission in life to ensure that her self-esteem never dwindled. That was ultimately the logic behind my constant eyeballing: in the end, it was all for Bella's own good. Whenever she bent over to scoop her clothes from the floor, I was honour-bound to ogle her glorious derriere, just as I was honour-bound to stare unashamedly at her chest each time she entered or exited the shower. None of this was for my benefit at all; I was simply being a good husband. At least, that was what I told myself.

A wolfish grin spread across my face. If Bella were to found out about all the things I wanted to do to her, she'd probably have a heart-attack. At the very least, she would blush. I bit my lip in an attempt to hold back my laughter. And she thought _I _was a gentleman?

I quickly batted the smutty notions from my wandering mind before I could become any more excited than I already was. It would have been pure masochism to continue to down that line of thought when Bella was so deeply asleep. Instead, I once again immersed myself in the careful study of her graceful figure, the lines of which were as soft and elegant as the small, curling waves of the steady morning surf.

No one could preoccupy me like the witch in my arms. In fact, I was so thoroughly absorbed in my ritualistic appreciation of her that I failed to notice my family's arrival until they were almost right outside the penthouse door.

"Christ!" I exclaimed, flinging the sheets back over Bella, with barely a second to spare before the abrupt intrusion.

The door burst open with a bang, snapping off its hinges as Alice smashed into the living room, immediately followed by Jasper, Carlisle, Emmett, Esme and Rosalie. They didn't bother to go around the furniture, instead choosing to leap straight over it, ripping through one room after another like six homing missiles as they sped towards the bedroom.

The air whipped around my face as they surrounded the bed, my mind propelled into absolute chaos by a deluge of screaming, riotous thoughts.

_Is she all right?_

_Is she safe?_

_Bella! Bella!_

_Please let her be all right!_

Six pairs of eyes were suddenly riveted to my wife, all ablaze with white, hot fear – burning, burning, burning … crazed and burning, like those of madmen and women strapped to pyres. Their tortured expressions frightened me. Instinctively, I pulled Bella closer.

Despite everything, she didn't stir. Although the sound of the door crashing against the wall in the other room had been loud to my ears, apparently her human hearing wasn't sensitive enough to have picked it up, at least not while she was asleep. I knew from the clock on the wall that it was only six in the morning. She probably wouldn't surface for another four hours yet, not if her recent sleeping habits were anything to go by.

"Oh, thank god!" my mother gasped, her voice breaking on the last syllable. "We thought …"

When she couldn't finish, her mate did it for her. "We thought something had happened to Bella," Carlisle whispered, not wanting to wake the girl in my arms.

If it hadn't been for the panic and confusion ringing in their minds, I would have been mortified that they'd barged straight into the bedroom without warning, where my wife and I lie in a state of total undress, with only a thin coverlet to hide ourselves.

I glanced down at Bella. She would be okay without me for a while. I didn't want to have this conversation here, so I slipped my limbs out from under hers.

"Give me a moment to get dressed," I instructed. "I'll meet you in the lounge."

They did as I asked without question, blurring away to give me some privacy. I quickly threw on a pair of green shorts, not bothering with a shirt, before speeding out of the room.

My family were waiting for me by the balcony doors, where they stood in a tight semi-circle, each vampire beside his or her respective mate. Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Rosalie still looked concerned, not to mention confused, but Jasper and Emmett had relaxed considerably. They wagged their eyebrows at me, wearing identical impish grins that stretched from ear to ear.

_Soooooo, little brother, _Emmett smirked, _you finally relinquished the V card. 'Bout time too, you'd been hanging onto it long enough. I thought you'd never get around to dipping __your wick._

Jasper's thoughts were of the same vein._ You look like you've been having fun, _he commented internally, not bothering to hide his amusement.

I rolled my eyes at them, crossing my arms.

"Edward," said Alice, reclaiming my attention, "I'm sorry we came barging in like this. That was my fault."

"Don't worry about it," I told her. "What did you see?"

She frowned. "That's kind of the point – I didn't see anything. I read up on Atlantis before you came, and after finding out about the sirens, I was kind of expecting that you would both fall off my radar at least once. But …"

She sighed, a crease appearing between her eyes as she trailed off.

"But what, Alice?"

My sister shook her head, closing her eyes. I focused in on her thoughts, watching and listening as she replayed her latest vision for me. She'd been hunting with Jasper, tracking a mountain lion along the banks of a twisting river when the image of Bella flashed through her mind, before she suddenly blurred out of sight.

"I can still see you," the psychic murmured, checking my future. In her head, I saw myself at home, in Forks, pacing the lounge and pulling at my hair. Bella was nowhere to be seen. In her place, splayed out on the sofa, there was an indistinguishable shape. It was fuzzy and grainy, like a film intercepted by a television with poor reception.

"I don't understand why this is happening," Rosalie huffed, clearly exasperated. "Bella isn't interacting with anyone at the moment. There should be nothing to interfere with Alice's premonitions."

My brothers exchanged hopeful glances. They'd connected the dots the moment they'd seen that Bella was safe, and now they were practically beaming at me.

I smiled tentatively back at them, simultaneously sweeping a hand through my hair. The exchange didn't go unnoticed. My mother eyed me suspiciously.

"Edward?" she probed. Esme had seen how protective I was of Bella. In her experience, I should have been ripping my hair out by now. When my passive countenance failed to reflect the anxiety she thought I should be feeling, therefore, she naturally assumed I knew something the rest of the family didn't.

I heaved a sigh. How to tell them? If I'd been human, this would have been so easy. "There _is _something, Alice," I said hesitantly, turning to my sister, "or, rather, someone obscuring your visions."

She arched an eyebrow, her golden eyes fixed firmly on my face.

"I'd suspected for a while, but it wasn't until yesterday that my suspicions were confirmed." I nodded to the bedroom, where Bella was still sleeping peacefully.

My father took a step towards me. "What is it, Edward?"

"It's … I …" I sighed again, gripping my hair. "You're not going to believe me when I tell you."

"Try us," my inky-haired sister challenged. She folded her arms, pursing her lips as the sole of her right satin shoe tapped threateningly against the lounge's sparkling tiles. All the while, Jasper's eyes lingered on her bouncing Manolo Blahnik.

_Danger, danger! _he warned. _Hurry it up, Edward._

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Why couldn't things be simple for a change? "Bella is … she's …" What was I supposed to say? How was I supposed to tell my already terrified vampire family that I had recently contributed one half of the forty-six chromosomes responsible for the preordained vampire-hybrid foetus currently residing in the belly of the fragile, little human next door? Somehow, I didn't think yelling 'surprise' would go down well.

_Edward, _my father called, _what is it? You can tell us._

I nodded. Of course I could tell them. It wasn't a question of that; it was a question of whether or not they would believe me.

My conscience – an amalgamated version of the school boy and the gentleman – rolled his eyes. _They won't have much choice, _he pointed out_, not after they see her._

That much was true, I conceded. They wouldn't be able to deny the ocular proof; it was irrefutable.

"Bella is … she's―"

"Spit is out, Edward!" Rose snapped.

"She's pregnant." There! I'd said it.

My family stared at me, waiting for the punch-line. I shuffled from side to side, peering at my feet as I chewed my lower lip. I couldn't really understand why, but I was finding it impossible to meet their eyes. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were looking at me as though they worried that I need to be institutionalised.

"I know it sounds absurd, particularly since I've only been married to her for a couple of weeks, but already she's showing signs of pregnancy: weight gain, sickness, food cravings and … not only that, but …" I huffed. They were going to freak when I told them. "The baby is already moving. We both felt a kick last night more than once, so I know it wasn't just my imagination playing tricks on me."

In the other room, Bella's breathing altered. She groaned lowly and yawned, shifting on the bed. Odd … she shouldn't have been up this early. It must be too warm for her without me. She still hadn't acclimatised to the high temperatures of our recent locations.

I heard her hair brush against the mattress as she looked from side to side, probably searching for me. She sat up quickly, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. I distinguished the sound of her footsteps as she wandered in the direction of the bathroom. A second later there came the squeak of a tap, and then the sibilant hiss of rushing water as the shower started up.

Meanwhile, my family stood unmoving, completely unable to speak, all apart from Emmett and Jasper. I was unprepared for their combined, mirthful attack and subsequently stumbled backwards when they leapt at me. Their hands flew to my hair, ruffling it as they slapped me roughly on the back and cheered like unruly teenagers.

Emmett bellowed with laughter. "You sly dog! I knew you could do it! I knew she'd be safe."

"They grow up so quickly, don't they?" Jasper guffawed, pinching my cheek.

I laughed, batting his hand away. "Cut it out you two."

"Aw, come on, Daddy. You're going to have to learn some patience before the arrival."

"Oh my god." My eyes snapped back to my sister. Her incredulous countenance immediately wiped the smirks from not only my face, but also those of my brothers. Alice studied us one by one, her penetrating gaze finally landing on her mate. She stared at him for what felt like hours, searching his soul with her eyes, until she found what she was looking for.

"You expected this," she whispered. "You knew it was coming."

Jasper held her gaze, no longer the carefree joker he had been only moments ago. His jaw clenched as he battled his frustration. My brother wasn't the only one affected by it. If I could have explained to my family what I had learnt in the golden hall, I would have. It would be futile to even try to get the words out though. The sphinx's spell was just as strong now as it had been when she'd cast it in January, the day we'd stumbled upon her secret lair.

"You aren't denying it," Alice fizzed.

"They're not confirming it either," Carlisle pointed out. His eyes were vacant and glassy, like a blind man's.

"Maybe they can't," Rosalie murmured, peering at her blank-faced husband as she ruminated. "Remember the wedding, when Edward spoke with Eleazar? He implied that he, Emmett and Jaz had learned … things, things that they couldn't talk about with anyone else. Is this related?"

The golden-haired vampire arched an eyebrow at my brother, awaiting confirmation, but she already suspected that he would be unable to give her a direct yes or no response.

"You know I'd find a way to share this with you if it were possible," Emmett told his wife, his tone serious. "I don't enjoy keeping you in the dark."

She nodded. "I know. I'll take that as a yes."

Emmett smiled, the only sign he could give the others that he was pleased with his mate's conclusion.

From the en suite, I distinguished the soft click of Bella's tooth brush as she placed it back on the counter top. Not a minute later she ambled into the living room in white shorts and a lemon eyelet top, her bump larger this morning – more defined. She stopped short the moment she realised that we had company.

"What's wrong?" she demanded. The colour drained from her face in an instant. "Is it Charlie? Is he―"

"Relax, Bella," Jasper interrupted, assuaging her fears with his unique ability. I breathed a sigh of relief as the room swelled with an artificial sense of tranquillity. "Charlie's fine."

"Then why are you here?"

"We came for you," the empath explained, inspecting the witch, who remained by the door, still rooted to the spot. "You disappeared from Alice's visions and you didn't come back."

"Oh." Bella blinked, a little puzzled crease forming on her brow as she absorbed my brother's words. And then the understanding hit, flooding her eyes until they bulged like water-balloons. "_Oh._"

Jasper nodded.

"We had to make sure you were ok," Esme explained, wringing her hands, a nervous gesture that was now ingrained after years spent imitating human behaviour. Her eyes dropped to Bella's stomach as the room fell silent, a movement the observant witch did not fail to miss.

"You told them," she deduced quickly, her eyes finding mine. She didn't look disappointed that I'd done so without her. If anything, the main emotion dominating her countenance was curiosity. I held out my hand for her, inviting her to join us. She didn't approach right away, and when she did there was something reticent about the way she moved: ever so slowly, the witch stalked towards us, her eyes never leaving my family. All the while, she maintained a careful distance, as if she expected them to pounce without warning, like a bunch of savage animals.

_She's wary of us, _Jasper realised, sensing her mood. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but he was right. For the first time in her life, Bella's instincts were screaming at her to be on her guard in the presence of vampires. Before now, she'd only had her own life to worry about. It appeared that her maternal instincts, though, were far stronger than those concerned with self-preservation. She loved our family fiercely with every fibre of her being, but there was something more precious to her now. If I'd had any doubts before that the lioness in her would do anything and everything to protect our baby, those fears were swiftly extinguished.

Jasper held up his hands, trying to appear non-threatening. "It's ok, Bella. You know we'd never do anything to hurt you. We want to protect you … You _and _the baby."

"Well, of course, we do!" Rosalie exclaimed. Her face was alight like a Christmas tree, our bombshell finally sinking in. "Of course."

Only Carlisle and Alice looked unsure, their mouths turned down in similar frowns. Neither seemed willing to support Rosalie's pledge. My sister, in particular, regarded the witch's belly with clear resentment, but it was our father who was the first to air his reservations.

"We have to consider the possibility that proceeding with this pregnancy may not be the wisest choice."

My jaw clenched at his words, and suddenly my entire body felt as rigid as a brick wall. A human would have better luck breaking through one than Carlisle would have of getting past me. I'd rip him in two before I'd let him hurt Renesmee. Guilt clawed at my gut the second those thoughts took shape, and for a fleeting moment I had the sense to feel ashamed, but those emotions were promptly smashed to pieces by the unconditional and completely irrevocable adoration I felt for my daughter.

My brothers seemed to share my sentiments. Emmett's expression was arctic, and Jasper was doing nothing to dispel the black cloud of billowing hostility abruptly settling over us.

Now it was our father's turn to hold up his hands. "I'm sorry, I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear. Believe me, if there's a way to get through this without endangering Bella's life, I will be more thrilled than anyone. But …"

"But what?" snapped Rosalie, ice in her tone as she glared at our leader.

Carlisle straightened himself, clearly determined to get his point across. "But a human's body isn't strong enough to cope with a pregnancy as accelerated as this. Bella shouldn't even have morning sickness this early, and she certainly shouldn't be showing! You have to understand, Bella," he implored, turning back to my wife, who regarded him with stony eyes, "that this … the foetus … could threaten your life. As a medical professional, I would advise you to consider a termination."

"Out of the question," the witch said without a moment's hesitation, patting me when I let out an involuntary growl. I wrapped her in my arms, standing closely behind her as I slid a hand protectively over here stomach.

Carlisle gazed at us through worried eyes, seeming lost. When Esme laid a hand on his shoulder, he didn't even appear to feel it.

Outside, beyond the borders of Atlantis, the merfolk began to sing in unison, creating a rich, haunting resonance that filled the entire city, a perfect blend of sonorous sopranos, lilting altos, superb tenors and deep, forbidding basses. Glorious though their song was, it certainly didn't inspire the same emotion in me as it did in the others: they peered back over their shoulders, mouths lolling as the hypnotic harmony surrounded them like a warm blanket. To me, however, the voices of the merfolk were a violation of my senses – a caustic poison I was being forced to swallow.

Bella, like Jasper, noticed my rage immediately. In truth, I think she'd expected it. She was almost as accurate in her interpretations of mood as the clever trinket I'd slipped onto her finger only two days ago – the mood ring I'd bought her in _O Quadrado Secreto_.

The ring looked fairly innocuous; it was a simple solitaire design: a platinum band with a modestly sized stone, one that was completely free of impurities. Before I'd slipped it on to my mate's right index finger, the diamond had been as clear as newly polished glass; now it glittered a startling radioactive orange, indicating Bella's anxiety.

She bit her lip as she stared nervously up at me. "Are you ok?"

_No, _I thought to myself. _No, I am certainly not ok._

After her question, I was forced to relate the tale of the incident with the iniquitous siren to our family, who naturally expressed the same outraged as I had the day before.

As expected, Rosalie looked the most offended. With her history, I was unsurprised by the imprecations that spewed from her mouth after she learnt that Bella had almost had to endure the same horrific experience she had once been subjected to. Now, more than ever, Rose wanted to protect my wife. In fact, she looked as though she was getting ready to tuck the girl under her arm like she would a football and flee the city. She inched closer towards us, eager to be near to Bella.

Unlike Rosalie, Alice did not outwardly display any sign that she had been affected by the story. Her thoughts gave her away, of course: she was completely and utterly disgusted. Nevertheless, she pushed that to the back of her mind, instead choosing to focus on the matter at hand.

I wasn't the only one to take note of her unusual silence. Emmett, too, was observant of the fact that our sister, whose loud personality normally made her loquacious and assertive, was uncommonly taciturn. When he pointed this out, the psychic shrugged, continuing to glare at Bella's middle.

"I take it you don't approve," Emmett guessed.

"It doesn't matter what I think," she sneered, her voice unusually harsh. "Bella's made her choice. But for the record, no, I don't. The foetus―"

"Baby!" Rosalie snapped, throwing her arms in the air.

"The _foetus_," Alice repeated, enunciating each syllable, "is a danger to Bella. I, therefore, agree with Carlisle: she should get rid of it."

Her conclusion felt like a betrayal. Alice and I had always been close, and to hear her so callously pass judgement on the little miracle I had been desperately hoping for, in truth, made me far angrier than I ever thought I could be at my sister. The rational part of my brain told me that it wasn't her fault: she hadn't seen Renesmee like I had … she didn't know Bella would live through this like I did. But, like most people, there was a part of my mind that had never adhered to logical thought or reason.

I would have responded to her unwanted counsel myself if Jasper hadn't beaten me to it.

"You can't think like that, Alice," he told her, clearly disappointed, though not entirely surprised by her recommendation. His protest caused his mate's head to snap in his direction, her lips pursing at the sight of his pained expression.

"You're normally the first to agree with me."

"Normally," he conceded.

"What's different this time?" she wondered.

In answer to her to her question, her husband's intelligent eyes moved with deliberate slowness to meet my own, before he directed them at Emmett. It was all he could do to remind Alice and everyone else that we knew something they didn't.

Alice didn't have to be a mind-reader to understand his intent. The bond that tied them was stronger than steel cables, and after the decades it had had to form, they no longer required words to communicate. They could read one another perfectly without them.

Alice slid her fingers through Jasper's hand, smiling quietly up at him. "Ok, you know more this time than I do. I trust you."

He smiled too, pulling their entwined hands to his lips, before gratefully laying a delicate kiss upon his mate's slender fingers. After returning the gesture, my sister glanced in my direction.

_Sorry, Edward. It's just that I love Bella._

And that was all she had to say to earn my complete forgiveness. When I sent her what I hoped was a reassuring smile, she beamed at me.

With Alice placated, I finally allowed my attention to drift back to my own mate. I should have been paying closer attention to her. Unlike my sisters and parents, she didn't know that Emmett, Jasper and I had a secret. The others hadn't bothered to tell her on our wedding day when they'd discovered this fact for themselves, because they hadn't wanted to cause her pointless anxiety on what was supposed to be a happy day. She was suspicious all the same, that much was clear.

She stared at my brother and sister, searching. There was something about the way she watched them – like a lioness sussing out other predators – that made my hair stand on end. Nothing in the world could have prepared me for the words that came tumbling out of her mouth.

"Who's Akharet?"

My brothers' heads darted so quickly in the witch's direction that the air whistled.

_What the hell!_

_How could she know?_

"Aka-who?" said a puzzled Rosalie. Bella ignored her though; her attention was riveted entirely to my brothers, who couldn't have appeared more astonished if Carlisle had suddenly proclaimed he was actually a leprechaun in disguise.

"You told her?" Emmett blurted, gawking like a fish, officially giving the game away. "How?"

I groaned. If Akharet could have seen us now, she probably would have face-planted the floor.

_Great, Emmett, _Jasper thought with a roll of his eyes. _Now they'll expect an explanation, one that yet again we will fail to deliver._

"I didn't tell anyone," I explained. _Apparently my wife is just freakishly astute._

The behemoth stared confusedly back at me. "Then how …"

"The sphinxes," said Bella. "They came to life." After relaying the story of our meeting with Léaina and Gáta, my wife proceeded to explain how my lack of curiosity about the mysterious Akharet had aroused her suspicion, which had only been exacerbated this morning by my brothers' strange behaviour. Already she'd gathered that they knew something the others didn't – that I knew something the others didn't.

_I'm not really sure why I asked that, _she admitted, referring to her earlier question as she lowered her shield. _It just seemed to fall from my mouth before I could stop myself. Judging by your reaction, though, I'm glad I did. _With intelligent eyes, she searched my face. "What aren't you telling me, Edward?"

_Ha! Where to start?_

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling as I raked a hand through my hair. I could feel Bella's eyes on my face, as sharp as razorblades. God, this was frustrating! She was just as irritated as I was when I failed to respond. Luckily, Alice came to the rescue and explained the situation to my exasperated wife.

Afterwards, I shared with my brothers the parting words of the sphinxes, while the others listened in, their brows furrowing under the weight of their bewilderment.

_Someone who, nowadays, is never very far from you. _That was what they'd said.

Of course, the story of Léaina, Gáta and Akharet incited another onslaught of questions from my sisters and parents, all of whom were curious, having never met a member of the mercurial species. Much to our relief, most of these were queries that my brothers and I could actually answer.

_Well, at least we're getting somewhere now, _Alice decided, no longer frustration personified. She ran a finger back and forth across her lower lip, a tell-tale sign that she was deep in thought. Suddenly, an eye-crinkling grin burst across her face, and with a squeal of excitement she clasped her hands together, bouncing on her tip-toes, before whirling to face her husband.

"Jaz, we're leaving."

"We are?"

"Yep! I have a name – Akharet, whom I suspect is a sphinx as well. _I'm_ going to research, and _you're _going to point me in the right direction."

"And how do you suggest I do that?" he grinned, indulging his tiny lover.

"Read books, find something relevant, leave it open on the appropriate page, and then casually walk away, whistling as you go. Sound like fun?"

Emmett threw back his head and roared with laughter. Jasper, meanwhile, smirked proudly at my impish, little sister.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun. Count me in."

"And me," said Emmett, rubbing his hands together. "Now we're breaking _all _the rules!"

Jasper sniggered. "She's not gonna be happy."

With that, the trio raced for the exit with all the grace of three manically grinning gazelles, promising that they would meet us back in Forks after taking a detour to Diagon Alley's Flourish and Blotts. Apparently, they were going to bribe Thyroros – the city gatekeeper – to apparate them to a place where they would be able to access the Floo Network.

Esme wasn't far behind them. She would be making a stop on Isle Esme before returning home, to collect the things Bella and I had left there. My mother was still in a daze when she left, unable to properly assimilate the news I'd recently conveyed. She was a battleground of conflicting emotions, her fierce concern for her daughter-in-law warring with the joy she felt at the prospect of new life. It was because of her confusion that she insisted on going to the island alone. She needed some time to herself to come to terms with everything.

Rosalie, on the other hand, was positively jubilant. Her violet eyes twinkled brilliantly in the muted light of the penthouse, as if they'd caught two glorious shooting stars during their fall from the heavens. After ushering Bella to the dining table, she raced from the suite to find the girl some breakfast. While she didn't entirely trust Carlisle at the moment, my reaction to his recent medical advice was enough to convince her that Bella and the baby would be safe without her.

During her absence, Carlisle called out to me with his mind. I didn't want to have this particular father-son chat in front of my curious wife, so I remained by the balcony with him, while Bella contented herself with reading the text she'd pulled from the suite's bookcase: _Sphinxes of Olde_. Naturally, it made sense that a city home to two sphinxes would have books concerning the ancient species.

I pulled my attention back to Carlisle, listening quietly as he attempted to appease me. Through his thoughts, I sensed the crushing fear he felt for the mortal he considered his daughter.

_Try to understand, Edward. Put yourself in my shoes. Already you are attached to the foetus―_

"Baby," I corrected. Thankfully, Carlisle had the grace to look embarrassed.

_I apologise, _he responded. _You're attached to the baby. Those feelings are not entirely unlike my own. Already you've proved that you would fight to protect the life of your child. That it is how I feel about Bella._

I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. "Carlisle, I know. I understand. But now I need you to understand me." I spoke in low whispers, to avoid Bella overhearing. "I am _not_ prioritising one life over the other. I fully believe that both Bella and the baby will survive this. We have every scientific and magical resource available to us, and I fully intend to make use of them. The only thing I'm not yet sure of is your support."

My father looked affronted. _I thought you knew me better than that by now. I __will support you in whatever you choose, regardless of my reservations. If you truly believe that Bella will survive, then I will do my best to believe it too, and, in turn, will do whatever I can to help her through this. Did you really think I'd abandon __you?_

I shook my head. "Of course not, I just needed to hear you say it."

The exchange gave way to a short embrace as we made our peace with one another.

Rose returned not long after with enough food to feed a small village. She hadn't been able to find a tray big enough for the amount she'd ordered, and because she hadn't been patient enough to wait for someone to retrieve a salver and perform the necessary engorgement charm, she'd taken matters into her own hands.

Bella gawked in horror as my sister approached her, balancing above her head a makeshift tray – a six by three foot door she'd ripped off its hinges, which was now laden with food, all arranged neatly on little china plates.

"Rosalie! What the―you―gah!"

"What?" The vampire shrugged, completely unruffled. "I'm only borrowing it. I'll give it back."

"That's not the point!" Bella shrieked, a horrified blush shooting up her neck.

My sister simply rolled her eyes, placing the door on the table top. "Meh. It's not like they can't fix it."

"Even so, how am I supposed to eat all that? Believe it or not, my stomach has not developed its own undetectable extension charm!"

"Oh, come on, Bells. The way I see it, that kid is growing fast. The more food you get inside you the better. I don't understand why you're complaining. Most humans love to have an excuse to binge. If I had a cent for every time I'd heard some woman say 'I'm doing it for the good of someone else', I'd be a millionaire."

"You are a millionaire," Bella pointed out.

My sister stood with her hands on her hips, arching an eyebrow at the witch, who petulantly stuck out her tongue. A moment later, however, Bella relented and tucked into a plateful of eggs. To my amusement, she was a little miffed about the lack of red-meat, and complained that if Rosalie had insisted on carting up the hotel's entire food supply, she could have at least had the decency to bring with her a steak.

Not a second after she took her last bite, the witch bolted up from her seat, shooting straight for the bathroom, where she heaved the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Years of medical training reassured me that this was nothing out of the ordinary; women experienced morning sickness all the time during the first stage of pregnancy. Even so, it didn't make me feel any less helpless.

Despite Rosalie's encouragement, Bella refused to eat anything more until she got home. She didn't want to be sick during the journey.

Eventually, my sister returned the door she'd stolen earlier, while Bella magically repaired the one my family had smashed from its hinges.

Finally, before we left, Bella struck a deal with the Imperial Trident's manager, offering him five galleons for _Sphinxes of Olde. _The man politely acquiesced, pocketing the money she handed him.

Then we made to depart. I scooped Bella up, into my arms while she clutched the book to her chest, and set off down through the city. On our way to the exit, Rosalie caught the eye of a flirtatious siren, who didn't seem frightened by the fact that she was a vampire and could eat him for breakfast. Since my hands were full, she flipped him off on my behalf before he could proposition her.

"You're an amazing sister," I told her, while Carlisle looked on disapprovingly.

She winked. "I know."

Thyroros was kind enough to apparate us to the nearest wizarding bar, completely refusing to accept any kind of payment for it. We said our goodbyes quickly, and then took the Floo Network back to Forks. In total, the journey took no more than thirty minutes.

The others hadn't yet returned when we arrived home. Carlisle got to work immediately, first performing an ultrasound. As expected, the sonographic scanner was not able to produce an image of the baby, owing to the density of the amniotic sac. He then went on to do a series of blood test, which revealed that Bella was anaemic – a very recent development, and a surprising one at that, considering how much red meat she'd been eating recently. We continued to discuss how best to care for her while Carlisle performed more tests. In the end, it was unanimously agreed that Bella should stay in Forks and that we would transfer her to St. Mungo's if and when we needed to.

It wasn't long before Esme returned, hauling with her our packed suitcases, but it was another two hours before Emmett, Jasper and Alice came rushing out from the fireplace, their arms loaded with books, which they quickly placed in three neat piles by the stairs.

They weren't alone either; Professor McGonagall accompanied them back to the house, garbed in her usual attire: a dark green dress that spilled to her ankles. She marched directly over to the couch, casting her shrewd eyes over her former pupil as she performed and immediate inspection. "Is it true?"

Bella nodded.

I sat down beside my mate, taking her hand in mine.

"You went to Hogwarts?" Esme asked, raising an eyebrow at my siblings, who nodded, explaining that while they had found plenty of books on sphinxes in Flourish and Blotts, they hadn't been able to gather any texts about vampire-hybrid babies. The closest they'd come was a book on immortal children. It was for that reason that they'd made a stop at Hogwarts, using the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron to travel to Esme's office. My mother had agreed to return to Hogwarts to teach Muggle Studies, but in the rush of the morning, had not found the time to inform the school of our present situation. Now that they were no longer students, Madam Pince had utterly refused to allow my siblings access to the library, so instead they'd approached the headmistress, requesting that she overrule the librarian. Naturally, the headmistress had first demanded an explanation, which Alice had swiftly produced.

Afterwards, the witch had granted my brothers and sister permission to borrow as many books as they wanted. The concern she felt for Bella had also motivated her to follow my siblings back to Forks. Luckily, the students weren't due to arrive at the school for another day yet, so she had some time to spare.

McGonagall turned to my father. "How is it even possible, Carlisle? I've never heard of anything like this happening before! Surely, it's unprecedented."

Carlisle folded his arms, seemingly stressed. "I had no idea either that something like this could ever happen. As far as I know, it _is _unprecedented."

"Maybe not," said Jasper, riffling through a book I recognised. It was the same green, leather-bound text we'd read earlier in the year, the one that discussed the possibility of vampire-human procreation. After finding the page on 'The Western Incubus', my brother began reading aloud.

"'_The only evidence indicating that such vampires exist lies in the words of Brazilian folk tales. There may be no substance in the Incubus story whatsoever; it may simply provide a means for superstitious Muggles to explain the mysterious disappearan__ces of young females from the local villages. According to legend, however, the Incubus vampire seduces women with the intention of impregnating them. Although it is not possible for female vampires to conceive, the story suggests that a male vampire and h__uman female could together produce a hybrid child, one possessing the strength and speed of the father, along with the mother's ability to change and grow into adulthood._

"'_Little is known about the nature of vampire offspring, but the tribes-people of Brazil believe them to be evil creatures, possessing a diet closer to that of the father._

"'_They are also believed to develop quicker than humans, physically and mentally, both during and after the gestation period. When the vampire hybrid reaches full adulth__ood, aging ceases entirely, thus enabling the vampire spawn to enjoy the same immortality as its father.'_

"That's it," said Jasper, looking up from the book. "There's nothing else."

McGonagall exchanged a worried look with Carlisle. "That doesn't tell us much, at least nothing about how to care for Isabella. Do we even know when it's due?"

My father then explained how it was possible to estimate the due date of a human based on various measurements. At present, Bella was about the size of a woman anywhere between three and five months pregnant, even though she had conceived no more than three weeks ago. She only had a slight bump, but being naturally slender, it was entirely possible that her pregnancy was well into its equivalent of a second trimester.

"Because we can't get an image of the baby," Carlisle continued, "I can't be sure when Bella will be ready to give birth, but it could be anywhere between a week and a month."

"That's an incredibly vague estimation," the headmistress grumbled.

My father shrugged. "I won't be able to tell you anymore for a few more days, until I've had time to track the rate of development."

"Surely it won't be so soon as a week though," said Esme. "Surely not!"

I bit my lip, glancing anxiously at Bella. I'd known beforehand that her pregnancy would be accelerated, but I'd never guessed it would unfold this quickly. I'd believed initially we'd have a few months at least. Only yesterday, I'd suspected that my wife was the equivalent of a woman no more than three months pregnant. By that reckoning, considering that we had been honeymooning for only 18 days, she should have had another 5 weeks. Overall, that would have given her a two month gestation period, and now I was suddenly being told she might have as little as a month in total.

The sudden realisation of the danger she was in hit me like ice water. All my thought processes came to a grinding halt as the building arctic fear took over, leaving me paralysed. Her body would never be able to handle it.

Both Alice and my father seemed to realise this, too. For a brief moment, my sister glared daggers at me, her accusing stare as cold and cutting as a blade crafted from ice. Then she remembered her conversation with Jasper, and her eyes warmed a little, before she dashed to the stairs and picked up the first book about sphinxes that she could lay her hands on.

Emmett and Jasper, meanwhile, began searching for more material on vampire hybrids. McGonagall, on the other hand, discussed the best course of action with my mother, father and me, while Rosalie worked in the kitchen to prepare a meal for Bella. Esme suggested that we enlist the help of Madam Pomfrey. McGonagall disagreed though, wisely stating that my wife's predicament was beyond the expertise of the school nurse.

"There might be a few people that will be able to help us. I think we will certainly require the help of a healer at some stage, but for now I think we should perhaps consider recruiting a vampire specialist."

"Anyone in particular you have in mind?" I asked the headmistress.

"As a matter of fact there is," the witch replied. It was quickly decided that McGonagall would approach Eldred Worple – the expert scholar who had written _Blood Brothers: My Life Amongst the Vampires._ If there was anyone who would have heard the rumours about the possible effects of vampire-human relationships, it would be him.

After promising to return as soon as she'd discovered something useful, McGonagall left the way she'd come, rushing back towards the chimney, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Following her departure, Rosalie wandered back into the lounge, carrying the steak Bella had requested earlier. I didn't need to be an empath to sense the mounting panic in the room when yet again the witch failed to keep her food down. My sister refused to give up and set about preparing something lighter – homemade chicken soup, but even that didn't work. Every attempt to feed Bella ended in failure, the girl's body rejecting whatever she chose to consume.

We had to keep a bucket by the couch. I burned a little more each time she needed to use it. Deep in the pit of my stomach, I could feel the flames building. They started out small at first – tiny fluttering embers of panic that grew into size and heat, gradually consuming the rest of me.

We didn't manage to get Bella any sustenance at all that day, and, eventually, exhaustion claimed her. By half past six, she was asleep on the couch. Although jet lag no doubt played a part, her obvious lack of energy seemed to affect her more. Her body was burning up energy in order to sustain the baby. Because she was no longer getting it from her food, there was only one other place it could come from: her body fat. She didn't have much of that to begin with, though, and if her system didn't start absorbing nutrients soon, her body would start eating away at its own muscle to compensate.

"It might stop tomorrow," Esme whispered hopefully as we all watched Bella sleep.

"Maybe," Carlisle nodded, "but we have to come up with a back-up plan in case it doesn't. Her body needs food. She needs to be strong for what lies ahead."

"We could feed her intravenously if necessary," Rosalie offered, glancing nervously at Bella, who was curled up in a ball by my side, her head on my lap as she slept.

Our father shook his head. "I'd prefer not to. We can use an IV if it comes to it, but I'd rather we find a way to help her absorb food as naturally as possible. Does anyone have any ideas?"

Jasper shrugged. "We could ask the healers at St Mungo's whether or not they have any potions that stop or prevent vomiting."

As soon as the words were out of my brother's mouth, Emmett straightened up, his head snapping in the direction of the empath. For the briefest moment, his face lost all expression, his eyes as glazed as two small doughnuts.

My sister's squeal of delight interrupted the silence as she jumped into the air, her arms flapping madly at her sides, before she launched herself at our brother.

Bella bolted up, disturbed from her sleep. "Huh? Whuz happ'nin?" she slurred, her head flying in all directions.

If I hadn't been so relieved, I would have growled at the psychic for disrupting the witch's sleep. Emmett's sudden idea had triggered a premonition, one so positive that I couldn't really blame Alice for her excitement. In it, she saw Emmett and Jasper paying a visit to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, where they would purchase a large supply of purple Puking Pastilles – the anti-vomiting sweet specifically. My sister had then glimpsed the result: a happy Bella consuming an omelette and managing to keep it down.

She explained the vision to the others, their ensuing thoughts reflecting their own relief.

The very next morning, Jasper and Emmett presented my wife with what they were now referring to as 'George's Marvellous Medicine'. They'd had to explain to the wizard why precisely they required this particular product. He'd known that the sweets would be no use to my brothers themselves, and had therefore jumped to the obvious conclusion that the human they were closest to was the person in need of them. At first, when my brothers had told George about Bella's condition, he had immediately assumed they were pulling his leg. He didn't for a second believe that his best friend was carrying a vampire baby. My brothers had managed to convince him though, and it was fortunate they had, because the wizard then promised to pass on the message to Ron, Harry and Hermione, who would hopefully be able to lend a helping hand.

As Alice's vision had promised, Bella tucked into a cheese omelette that morning, moaning with delight when her stomach remained full after fifteen minutes of eating. She handed her plate back to Rosalie, whose face shone like the sun when the girl requested more.

"More eggs?"

Bella smiled a little sheepishly. "Actually, I'd really like a steak right now, please."

"One steak coming right up!" And with that, Rosalie skipped from the room, humming a cheerful tune as she turned into the kitchen.

"Blue, please!" Bella called after her, flicking through the television channels.

Carlisle looked up from his book. He, like the others, was seated nearby – on the couch opposite – and had immersed himself in research, searching for anything that might prepare us for the days to come. I arched an eyebrow as I listened to his thoughts.

_How long has she been craving red meat, Edward? This is the sixth time she's mentioned it since we met you in Atlantis._

I shrugged. "Four days. She's had it every day since we visited Rio." In my periphery, I saw Bella's head turn to face me. When her brow furrowed, I shared with her Carlisle's question. My father deliberated, his thoughts mirroring my own. "She's been craving eggs as well, though not quite as much."

"Still, they're both high in iron." His statement caught the attention of the others. Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Esme each stopped what they were doing, looking up from the texts they had in their hands.

"What are you thinking?" Jasper questioned, relaxing back against the loveseat.

Carlisle rose from the couch, his eyes glassy as he slowly began to pace the room, tracing his lower lip with his thumb. His sapphire eyes wandered over to Bella, who shifted uncomfortably under his stare. Finally, he turned to address the empath. "I'm wondering if there is a connection between Bella's cravings and her sudden anaemia. Cravings are normal during pregnancy, we all know that. It is widely believed that such cravings occur to enable the body to acquire essential nutrients.

"Bella's blood tests indicate that she currently has a low red blood cell count. After comparing today's test with yesterday's, it's clear that her condition is quickly getting worse."

"It's not entirely surprising if you really think about it," Alice said, leaning forward in her seat. "Our research has told us it's highly likely that the foe– … baby will share its father's diet. It has to get its food from somewhere."

"But if the baby is a blood-drinker," Emmett continued, "then …"

Jasper groaned, slapping himself in the face. "Then its food can only come directly from Bella's veins. That's what it wants."

"Precisely," nodded Carlisle. "Bella's body started rejecting the food she would normally give it as a way of telling her that she isn't addressing the needs of the baby. When she failed to supply it with what it needed, the baby started absorbing the only other thing Bella's body could offer it – her own red blood cells."

"That would explain the anaemia," said Esme, biting her lip.

"It would also explain why she's suddenly craving food high in iron," I continued. "Her body knows it has to continue to produce more red blood cells to feed the baby."

Bella's eyes flicked to mine. The lines of her face looked a little sharper than they had done a few days ago, and her cheeks had lost their natural rosiness, leaving her with a sickly pallor. Her lips, too, were pale. The contrast with her skin was weak; before they had looked like rose petals floating over milk. Now they were closer to chalk.

"What's the solution then?" Emmett asked, interrupting my study. "If she continues to lose red blood cells at the rate she is doing, her body will never be able to keep up, no matter how much she eats."

Our father nodded, resuming his pacing. "I agree. We have to stop the baby taking blood directly from Bella, and to do that, _we _have to supply it."

"You're not suggesting what I think you are, are you?" Rosalie called from the kitchen, while she monitored the steak sizzling in the frying pan before her. She'd been following the conversation as she prepared Bella's food. Her head peeped around the door.

"I have to drink it," Bella realised. Her nose scrunched at the thought, as she tried unsuccessfully to conceal her disgust. "Blood – I have to drink it."

"We could find another way to feed you if―"

"No thanks, I'm done being a pin cushion," she said, cutting off my father. She chuckled then, flashing her teeth in a grin. "Besides, it's not like I haven't tasted blood before. Lioness, remember? I just have to get into the right mind-set."

I smiled, brushing the hair back from her face.

Carlisle nodded, seeming relieved. "I'll go get some blood."

Before he could do so much as turn though, a large cloud of soot was blasted from the fireplace, from which there stumbled a familiar, bespectacled figure. Harry Potter had appeared in our living room, looking rumpled in a filthy polo neck and jeans, his glasses slightly askew.

The wizard grunted as another body came flying out from the chimney breast. The fiery-haired newcomer collided with his best friend, and the pair went tumbling to the ground, one landing on top of the other.

"Ger offa me!" Harry managed, his face pressed to the floor.

"What the bleedin' hell were you doing just standi―"

"Argh!" cried Hermione, as she too went flying, tripping over her boyfriend's legs. Harry grunted again when her weight was added to Ron's. Luckily, the trio managed to move out of the way of the fireplace before Ginny could add another layer.

The eyes of our visitors immediately found Bella, each taking note of her swollen belly and sallow complexion. Hermione was the first to rush to the girl's side, sitting down in the space beside her.

"Bella, are you all right? George told us about …" The witch's eyes dropped back down to my wife's protruding abdomen, a deep furrow forming on her brow. "I've never even heard of anything like this."

"Neither had we," Esme told her. "This is new to us, too."

"I'm fine," Bella assured her friend, patting her hand. "Don't worry about me."

"Pfft! Fat chance, Bells," said Ron, folding his arms across his chest. "The last time I saw you you were as skinny as a rake. Now you're the size of the Knightbus." The wizard's insensitive comment not only earned him a growl from my wife, it also provoked his girlfriend to bat him upside the head.

"Ow!" Ron protested. "All I'm saying is she shouldn't be _this _pregnant. Less than three weeks, for crying out loud!"

"What can we do to help?" asked Ginny, ignoring her brother. No one had time to respond, though, before another figure suddenly appeared in the living room.

"If you really want to help, Miss Weasley," said Professor McGonagall, striding out from the fireplace, "I suggest you get to work on a blood-replenishing potion immediately."

"Minerva!" my mother exclaimed, her expression brightening considerably.

"Hello, Esme. Sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I had to be at Hogwarts yesterday for the students' arrival. I've arranged someone to cover your classes until you can return. Take as long as you need."

"Thank you, Professor."

"That's quite all right," said the headmistress, before turning her eyes to my father. "Good afternoon, Carlisle."

"Minerva." He nodded in greeting. "I take it you've learnt something."

McGonagall quickly confirmed Carlisle's hopes, recounting the story of her recent meeting with Eldred Worple. In the past, the vampire specialist had repudiated rumours concerning vampire hybrids, insisting that there was no concrete evidence to support their existence. However, he'd been very excited to learn of Bella's pregnancy, and subsequently had been more than helpful. The wizard had informed McGonagall that, according to tribal tales, women impregnated by incubi were said to drink blood to feed their unborn offspring, thus confirming our theory. Those who didn't were said to wither away until they were nothing but skeletons.

If only the witch had stopped there. Something closed around my heart – barbed tendrils that tugged and constricted – when she went on to discuss the fate of the women who had slept with creatures like me. According to legend, the babies ripped their way from their mothers' wombs, using their teeth and hands to escape, in turn ending the lives of women who had nurtured them.

"The baby will have to be removed by caesarean before something like that can happen," Carlisle said, staring at the girl in question. "Magic and modern medicine will get us through this."

Rosalie came wandering into the room then, carrying a plated steak and salad in one hand and a glass of water in the other. "Those other women would have lived too," she said, "if they'd had what Bella does. As it is, I doubt any of them had any type of decent medical care. The people they lived alongside would have slaughtered them instantly if they'd learnt the truth."

The discussion continued while Bella ravenously ate her food. Esme escorted Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny upstairs to the attic, leading them to the space we now reserved for brewing potions. As the professor had suggested, they immediately got to work on a large batch of blood-replenishing potion to combat Bella's anaemia, while the rest of us set up a plan of action.

My family and I would not hunt until after the birth, but we were currently running low on dragon's blood. Someone would need to procure some, a large stock of it at that. Not only would dragon's blood enable us to remain with Bella, it would also ensure that no one would be tempted by her blood during the delivery. It was Emmett who volunteered to hunt down the substance. An apothecary in Seattle was his first stop. From there he would visit a shop in LA, and then one in New York, before hopping across the pond to Diagon Alley.

Following my brother's departure, it was also decided that we should get to work on recruiting a healer, to assist Carlisle during the caesarean. A pair of magical hands would surely help to speed up my wife's recovery. McGonagall kindly agreed to approach the head healer at St Mungo's Hospital, suggesting that it would be wiser for my father to stay at home, where he would be of greater use to Bella.

After she left, Carlisle filled a plastic cup with a pint of O-negative blood, warming it up first before presenting it to my wife. Tentatively, she sniffed the cup, a low groan issuing from deep inside her chest.

"Bella, you don't have to―"

"It smells good," she said, colouring a little, as if the admission embarrassed her.

I blinked in surprise. _She likes it?_

Rosalie smiled. "That's good – a good sign!"

Bella lowered her lips to the straw, staring resolutely at the floor. I held my breath as the hopeful witch sucked in the first mouthful, watching with dread in my gut as the crimson fluid travelled up the translucent straw.

All the while, Jasper measured the witch's emotion. His findings surprised us both.

Bella groaned again, guilt in her eyes as she peered up at the group. "It tastes good, too."

Together, my family and I breathed a collective sigh of relief.

_Well, thank god for that! _Alice cheered internally.

_This is good, _Jasper decided, _really good._

"That's great!" Rosalie clapped her hands together, grinning proudly down at my wife, whom I quickly slung an arm around. The girl nestled into my side, enjoying the security offered by the embrace, as she continued to sip at the blood.

Now that we knew what the baby needed, Carlisle felt much more confident, and even began to whistle as he researched sphinxes with Esme, Jasper and my sisters.

It didn't take long for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny to make the blood-replenishing potion. Once it was ready, they came rushing back down the stairs together, immediately presenting a vial of reddish liquid. Bella took it gratefully, swallowing the mixture in one gulp. The effects were instantaneous: the colour immediately returned to her features, her skin regaining its glowing appearance; her energy returned as well, and she seemed less lethargic.

My father looked jubilant as he examined the results of Bella's next blood test, proclaiming that her red blood cell count was back to normal, much to the delight of the rest of us.

Rosalie and Alice jumped and cheered, Esme beamed quietly, and Jasper grinned like a Cheshire cat.

_We might just get through __this after all! _Carlisle thought to himself, his eyes twinkling like the midday sea as he allowed himself for the first time ever to consider the possibility that this pregnancy was a good thing. _Looks like I'm going to be a grandpa._

The direction his thoughts were taking propelled my own joy to new heights. I wanted Renesmee to receive as much love as possible, so it thrilled me when my father finally began to accept her. Alice, too, was slowly coming around. Already she was planning a wardrobe for the new arrival, even though she had no idea of the gender.

Esme and Rosalie took turns cooking for Bella, while the humans joined the research team.

"Why are we looking up sphinxes?" Ron enquired, flipping through a book on Ancient Egypt.

"Because we think that Edward, Emmett and Jasper encountered one earlier this year, only they can't tell us if we're right or not because of some kind of spell they're under." When Alice's statement was met with four stares of complete and utter bewilderment, the psychic elaborated. The witches and wizards listened attentively, asking questions whenever they failed to understand something.

"What have you discovered so far?" questioned Harry.

My sister shrugged. "Not a lot. The stuff I've read up to now has mostly been about the history of sphinxes. I've read a little about some famous sphinxes, including the one discussed in Oedipus Rex, but so far I haven't found any mentioning of an Akharet."

"You know that sphinxes can astral project, right?" said Hermione.

Rosalie nodded. "Yes. That little bit of knowledge doesn't exactly help us though."

I continued to follow the conversation while Bella devoured a slice of chocolate cake. Now that she was no longer suffering from an iron deficiency, her body had decided it needed chocolate urgently. She was constantly hungry now, and at the rate her abdomen was growing, I wasn't surprised. With my arm wrapped around her, I gently rubbed the side of her belly, using my other hand to flick through the pages of the book she'd bought at _The Imper__ial Trident._ She seemed to like that, moaning appreciatively as she ate her cake, though I suppose it could have just been the chocolate.

When the confection had been completely demolished, the girl turned her attention to the runic scrabble board lying on the table. Luckily, Bella had learnt about runes during her third year at Hogwarts, so she was able to play. She'd examined her pieces, and then laughed lowly, playing 'large' off my 'wand'.

A bouncy tune pulled my attention away from the game. Jasper stood up from the loveseat, looking unbelievably shifty, refusing to make eye contact as he wandered away from us, a loud whistle ringing back through the room. Alice watched him go, snickering impishly as he disappeared into the kitchen, before she pounced like a savage on the book he'd left behind.

"Well, what does it say?" Rosalie demanded, bouncing in her seat when our sister's eyebrows rose halfway up her forehead.

"_It is said," _my sister read aloud, _"that beings with the ability to astral project are__ generally omniscient. Although sphinxes are not born with precognitive talents, they possess a thorough knowledge of the past, present and future. Sphinx insight is believed to be a product of their relationships with other spirits, whom they encounter du__ring astral projection. Little is known about these spirits, but it is clear that they are able to communicate telepathically, much like sphinxes themselves. As a result, those with knowledge of the future are able to transfer their intelligence directly t__o other beings on the astral plain, including sphinxes._

"_There is little evidence to corroborate the existence of the aforementioned spirits; the knowledge we currently possess comes directly from the beings with which this text is concerned._

"_In AD79, the sphinx Phoebas predicted the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Before they would agree to flee, however, the witches and wizards of the village demanded to know the source of the sphinx's knowledge. In her attempts to convince the people to evacuate, Phoebas divulged the secrets of the astral plain._

"_Since then, only two other sphinxes – Léaina and Gáta of Atlantis–_ _have claimed the existence of prophetic spirits."_

Alice looked up from the book, eyes glazed and distant. No one seemed to know what to say; their minds were all a little chaotic, catapulted into mayhem by the dizzying revelation. It was Bella who broke the silence.

"You really did know then … about the baby, because a sphinx – this Akharet – told you. You knew he was coming." She gasped then, blinking rapidly. "That was why you asked me about children on the night before our wedding."

All heads turned to us.

I bit my lip. "Are you angry?" It was the only way I could really confirm her theory. I couldn't say 'yes' because of the spell, and I couldn't say 'no' because that would be lying.

Bella considered for a moment, then shook her head. "You couldn't tell me. What else were you supposed to do? I'm _glad_ you wanted him," she stressed, patting her stomach. "I want him too."

The witch smiled, her face beautiful and healthy-looking. I beamed, happy that I could finally be honest with her. For the briefest moment imaginable, we were safe in our bubble of joy and wonder, hopeful about our future.

All of that changed with one sickening crunch. Bella lurched forwards, her hands flying to her ribs as she yelled out in pain. Her cries were a lasso, pulling everyone immediately to their feet. In the space of a heartbeat, my family were surrounding us, their fear rolling off them in waves as they stared wide-eyed at the injured girl.

"Her ribs… " Carlisle whispered. "The baby must have broken one."

I didn't waste any time in scooping her up off the couch, trying all the while to cause her as little pain as I could.

An x-ray revealed that the baby had indeed broken a rib. The only consolation was that the bone had failed to puncture a lung.

Fortunately, McGonagall appeared not long after Carlisle had finished performing the scan. She was accompanied by a tall, pale skinned healer in his mid-thirties, with tidy brown hair and a kind smile.

He and Carlisle were already acquainted, it appeared. My father shook his hand, before directing him over to Bella, who we had just finished moving back to the living room sofa.

"Midas, this is Bella, my daughter-in-law. Before we discuss anything, could you take a look at her ribs? This one here," he said, pointing to her left side, "is broken. It needs fixing."

"Not a problem," responded the healer, extracting his wand. When he flicked it a second later, Bella hissed in pain, the air rushing into her lungs as she inhaled. I breathed a sigh of relief when her features suddenly relaxed.

The healer – Midas Mitt – asked all sorts of questions as he inspected Bella. Like everyone else, he was astounded by the pregnancy. "You should consider moving her to the hospital," he told my father. "I've been given permission to help with the delivery, but that's all, Carlisle. I can't stay here simply to guard against broken bones. If Bella is admitted, I'll be able to keep a closer eye on her."

"I don't want to go yet," Bella protested, before Carlisle had the chance to speak. "I haven't seen my dad yet. He doesn't even know about the baby." She turned her eyes on me then, staring imploringly. "Edward, I want to see him. We can go to St. Mungo's afterwards. It's not like I'm in any immediate danger."

Personally, I disagreed. Renesmee wasn't even fully formed, and already she had proved how strong she was. The blood she would receive in the coming days would only make her stronger, meaning that there would be nothing to prevent a second breakage. What if next time it wasn't a rib? What if something else were damaged – a vital organ perhaps? What then?

"There's nothing to stop him from visiting you in the hospital, Bella."

"I don't want to worry him. He'll freak out if he thinks I'm in danger."

Alice sighed. "That's one fact that I don't think you'll be able to get past him, Bella. Your dad isn't an idiot. He'll know as soon as he sees you."

"No, he won't," the witch said adamantly, shaking her head, "not if he sees that I'm fine before we set off for the hospital. He'll be less likely to worry that way."

Bella was resolute. None of us could convince her that she should travel immediately to St. Mungo's. The most we could get from her was the promise that she would allow Carlisle to admit her as soon as she had spoken with Charlie.

The healer and the humans left us then. Midas went to prepare a bed for my wife at the hospital, and McGonagall journeyed back to Hogwarts. The others, meanwhile – Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny – went home to eat and rest, promising that they would meet us tomorrow.

A cheerful Emmett appeared in the living room not a minute after the others had left. The smile immediately dropped from his face as he took in his mate's anxious countenance.

While Rosalie filled him in, I hastily dialled Charlie's number on my cell phone. When no one answered, I cursed under my breath, before punching the digits of the only other number I could think of.

"Hello?" came a cheerful voice. I sighed in relief as I heard Charlie's laughter in the background.

"Billy, it's Edward. I need to speak to Charlie." There was a pause on the other end. Billy was clearly startled by my sudden call. He held the receiver to his head, his breathing audible. "Billy. I need Charlie."

The man didn't reply to me, but I heard him call Bella's father. _"Charlie, it's for you."_

"_Me? Who is it?" came a gruff voice._

"_Edward. He wants to speak to you."_

Barely a second had passed before Charlie was shouting down the phone, his voice loaded with alarm. "Edward? What's happened? Is it Bella? Is she … Have you―"

"I haven't changed her yet, if that's what you're wondering," I told him. On the other end of the line, I discerned half a dozen sighs of relief. The Wolves were there then.

"Then what?"

"I… she's… You need to come over. Now."

Tension seemed to spill down the line, feeding back into the house. My brothers and sisters bristled; they too had sensed the Wolves.

For a few brief moments, Charlie didn't say a word, but his silence was short-lived. "What is it, Edward? Tell me."

"I…" My eyes clenched shut, while my free hand balled into a tight fist. I didn't want the Wolves to know about Renesmee. Just because things had been calm between us lately, it didn't mean that I completely trusted them, particularly not when my daughter's life hung in the balance. "Can you just get over here, please? "

"TELL ME!" he shouted.

I groaned.

_The Wolves will find out one way or another, _Emmett told me. _It doesn't matter either way – none of them are __getting near her._

_Damn right they're not. _After taking a deep breath, I slowly uttered the words, "Charlie … Bella's pregnant."

I waited for him to reply, but there was only silence. Absolute silence. Not a breath … at least, not until a loud crunch shattered the quiet to pieces.

"_Jake! What are you doing? What the hell's going on?" _Billy demanded.

"Pregnant?" Charlie whispered, ignoring the hubbub in the background. "She …"

That was when the paternal instincts really started kicking in. In the space of a second, I went from being the shinning son-in-law who could do no wrong, to the dastardly villain who'd lured an innocent girl into an unfortunate situation.

I had to hold the phone away from my ear as Bella's father screamed into the receiver. "YOU IDIOT! SHE'S NINETEEN, FOR GOD SAKE! I KNOW CONDOMS WEREN'T EXACTLY AROUND BACK IN YOUR DAY, EDWARD, BUT HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION 'GET WITH THE TIMES?'"

"Look, Charlie, I know you're angry, but―"

"Angry? You haven't seen angry! Seriously, when I get over there, I'll be armed to the nines in garlic, you Transylvanian devil!"

"Garlic doesn't work, remember. And I was born in Chicago"

"I don't care! Maybe I wouldn't have been quite as surprised if you hadn't lured me into a false sense of security with your 'look-at-me' sparkles! I swear to god, Edward, I―"

"Charlie, just get over here, will you? There'll be time for you to scream at me later, but for the moment, Bella needs you. Can you hurry up, please?"

The sound of Charlie's accelerated breathing echoed down the line, and although I couldn't see him, I was fairly certain that he was in danger of bursting a blood vessel. His face would no doubt be a frightening shade of puce.

"I'm coming now," he growled, "but this discussion isn't over." With that the line went dead.

Bella was wearing an apologetic smile when I turned back to face her. She patted the space beside her on the sofa, urging me over to her. I sunk down beside her, hugging her close to me.

Barely three minutes had passed aft the phone conversation, when a loud pop issued from outside. The sound preceded a series of delicate taps to the door, which Emmett rushed to answer.

"Luna?" he said, surpriseed by the witch's sudden appearance.

"Hello, Emmett," came the lilting voice of our unexpected visitor. "Nice to see you again. May I come in?"

My brother stepped aside. "Of course. To what do we owe the honour?"

Luna drifted into the room, wearing a pair of leggings, a pink woolly jumper and her favourite radish earrings. "I came to help ward off the Wolves. They'll be here soon."

I barely suppressed a hiss, unlike Rosalie, who completely failed to hide her rage. Her eyes were menacing, as piercing and dangerous as two bayonets. Immediately she flew to Bella's side, where she joined my siblings and adoptive parents as they formed a protective wall around my wife.

"How do you know they're coming?" Jasper wondered aloud. "You must have been with them just now."

"Oh yes," Luna nodded, a bright smile tugging at her lips, "I'm seeing Embry. It'll be an awful shame if I have to turn him into a hedgehog. I don't think I'd find him quite as attractive if he were a hedgehog."

My eyes landed on Emmett, who was grinning like all his birthdays had come at once.

"Hello, Bella," Luna said, ambling over to the sofa. "You're looking nice and round today, in the best possible way of course."

Bella chuckled. "Hi, Luna. It's good to see you. Embry huh?"

"Yes, he's very nice," replied the witch. Her face darkened a little then, her smile melting into a slight frown. "At least, he is usually. I won't be happy with him if he tries anything."

"What exactly is it that you think they're planning?" I intervened.

Luna shrugged. "I have no idea to be honest, but they didn't look happy when they heard that Bella was pregnant. After Charlie hung up, Sam ordered the Wolves to follow him out of the house. I wasn't allowed to go, so I can't be sure what they'll do, but I'm guessing they'll decide to fight. I've never seen Sam look so angry before."

"In that case," said Carlisle, "we should leave. Now."

"Nonsense," Luna argued. "The others will be here soon. Everything's under control."

I felt my brow pucker in confusion as I watched one face after another flicker in and out of the witch's mind.

Suddenly, a huge cloud of soot burst from the chimney breast, fanning outwards like a dirty parasol, obscuring the figure staggering out from the fireplace.

"Wood?" Bella called when the dust had finally cleared.

The wizard laughed at his incredulous friend as he siphoned the dirt from his robes with a cleaning charm. _"_The one and only. Now is someone going to tell me why I―whoa!_"_

Now it was Wood's turn to look incredulous. His eyes bulged like stress-balls, almost popping from their sockets as he stared in complete and utter astonishment at the swollen belly of his old schoolmate.

Before anyone could explain to the wizard our current predicament, or before he could explain the reason for his sudden appearance, another figure came shooting into the room. The lounge, it appeared, had become a landing zone for Bella's old companions: in quick succession, they poured from the fireplace, one after the other. Neville appeared after Wood, who was shortly followed by George and Angelina Johnson. Next it was Seamus, then Harry, Ginny, Hermione and a half asleep Ron. Then there came Dean, followed by Cho Chang, Lavender Brown, Bayle Wishart, Terry Boot, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott and the Patil twins. One by one, they came.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked in total disbelief, her eyes moving over each of her friends.

"Dunno," shrugged George. The wizard stuffed his hand into his pocket, before pulling out a large, shiny galleon, which he held into the light. I scrutinised it carefully, my eyes focusing on the writing around the edges.

_S.O.S. Cullen house_

Slowly, I began to thaw. The biting cold that had been building inside me since Luna announced the possibility of an attack was suddenly swept away, removed by the comforting smiles of the witches and wizards ready to fight for my family.

While Carlisle explained our situation and Bella's condition, George began arming the troops. He'd come prepared with a sack full of goodies, including Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators and products from his latest line – Weasley Waggery.

First there was the Up-U-Go – a treeless snare trap. The simple ring of rope came with a Levicorpus jinx; all anyone had to do to trigger it was place their foot inside the ring, and they would instantly be pulled into the air, where they would be left to dangle helplessly.

Then there was the snare trap's sister product: the Down-U-Go – a round, flat piece of rubber that resembled something you'd be likely to see in an Acme film. It looked fairly innocuous until someone stood on it, at which point it became an actual hole in the floor, one that would require a ladder to escape.

Finally, there was the Magic Mirror – a flat piece of glass that projected a 3D image of anyone that peered into it.

"Suspend these around the house," George ordered, distributing the mirrors. "Make sure they're evenly spread. And when you're done, place the Up and Down-U-Gos. Make sure they're concealed though. Cover them with leaves or something. Hermione, how are your disillusionment charms?"

"Pretty good, why?"

"Ready the troops. You too, Bella. You might be enormous, but I doubt that'll impair your wand work."

Bella rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath as she plucked the yew wand from the coffee table and set to work. Emmett rubbed his hands together, grinning like a madman.

It was then that I sensed an oncoming force. Somewhere beyond the trees, the Wolves were racing towards us. My stomach dipped when I realised that our friends would have no time to place the traps before the danger reached us.

_Gotta get to Bella, _I heard. _Gotta warn the Cullens._

Jacob.

The air eased out of my lungs. I inhaled quickly, casting my mind beyond the borders of the house. Seth was with him, as was Leah. Embry, too, had chosen to accompany the pup. I informed the others of the impending visit, assuring them that Jacob's intentions were in no way malevolent.

They didn't bother to knock in their urgency, and instead came barging through the front door, the three males leaving Leah outside, who adamantly refused to enter. As always, they were half-naked. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

_So it's true, _thought Jacob, his eyes immediately flying to Bella's abdomen. Initially, shock dominated his features; he hadn't expected that Bella would have grown so much in such a short space of time. His surprise, however, was quickly overtaken by stronger, more aggressive emotions. Eyes on fire snapped in my direction, his nostrils flaring madly, as I became the subject of a paroxysm of rage.

"You did this!" he spat, storming towards me. Wood blocked him off, stepping between us and lifting his wand. The bold move was enough to deter Jacob, who knew from previous experience how foolish it was to anger a witch or wizard.

George chuckled. "Well, this is awkward."

The Wolves jumped, their heads flying to the source of the noise. The effectiveness of Bella's and Hermione's Disillusionment Charms meant that the Quileutes had failed to notice many of the humans when they'd first entered the house. To them, the whole thing was completely unnerving.

Embry yelped when an invisible hand brushed against his arm.

Luna giggled. "Relax, it's just me."

The Wolf blinked, and then sniffed the air. Apparently he trusted his nose more than his ears "Baby, what the hell are you doing? I can't see you," he complained.

"It wouldn't do to be conspicuous at a time like this," his girlfriend told him.

Embry's hands flew to his hips. "What do you mean? What are you planning?"

"You'll seeeeee," the witch said dreamily, before floating out of the room after her comrades. One by one, the witches and wizards exited the house, moving towards the trees to lay their traps.

Embry called after her, growing more and more frantic when Luna failed to respond. "Where did she go? What is she going to do? Will someone please tell us what the hell is going on!"

"They're preparing the battlefield," Emmett revealed, his teeth gleaming between his parted lips.

"Please tell me you're joking," Embry replied, his hands balling into fists. "Are you crazy? They can't take on the Pack! How do you expe―"

The Wolf's protests were quickly drowned out by the impatient growls of my golden-haired sister.

Jacob returned her snarl, his dislike for Rosalie obvious. Emmett bristled, taking a step forward to shield his mate. The mutt wasn't put off by my brother's enormous size, not that he ever had been before, but it was still me he hated the most in that moment. His glare had an acidic edge as his eyes once again found mine.

A dull thud and a ear-splitting shriek had my head snapping back in the direction of the couch, where Bella was doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach as a film of unshed tears filled her eyes. Carlisle flew to her side, as did Esme. I was right behind them, dropping to my knees before the woman I loved.

The veins of her neck strained under their translucent covering, a clear indicator of the pain she was currently experiencing.

"I didn't hear a break," said Carlisle, tugging up her t-shirt. No, the baby hadn't broken any bones, but that didn't mean she'd done no damage. With every drop of blood, Renesmee grew stronger. As a result, each little kick – kicks that should have been gentle and uplifting – caused her mother, and those of us who cherished her, unspeakable agony. Already, a dark purple bruise was spreading over Bella's stomach.

"The baby … he's destroying her from inside out," my father murmured. He looked more vulnerable than ever, all of his hope sapped away by my wife's contorted expression. _I can't bear this. She won't last._

"She will!" I growled at him, begging him with my eyes to believe it. "She will, Carlisle."

"We need to get her to the hospital," Esme panicked. "We can't wait."

"No!" Bella protested through her teeth. "Not until I've seen Charlie. Not until I know the others are safe."

"But Bella―"

"I said no!" she yelled, cutting me off. My head fell into my hands. Why couldn't she see sense? Why did she have to be so stubborn _all _of the time?

His ire now forgotten, Jacob wandered towards us, moving like a zombie – void of life – his eyes reserved for Bella only. He collapsed next to me, kneeling at her feet.

"Bella."

Despite the pain she must have been experiencing, the witch beamed at him. Her smile was like a heaven, full of love and light and joy. Something clenched inside me.

"Glad you're here," she managed, still clutching her abdomen. "I didn't think―"

"Ssh. Just… just don't talk, ok? Rest." He pried a hand away from her belly, lacing his fingers through hers. She squeezed, her knuckles turning white.

The girl ignored his order, and asked him how he'd managed to escape Sam, at which point Jacob revealed that he'd left the Pack for good. Apparently, the birth right he'd once rejected had finally come in handy. Rather than obey Sam, he had opted out, estranging himself from his friends in order to protect the girl we both loved. He didn't want to be a leader, but he hadn't really been given a choice when Seth, Leah and Embry had decided to follow him. Seth loathed the idea of attacking Bella. Leah, of course, would never fight on the opposite side to her brother, just as Embry would not fight on the opposite side to Luna. He'd realised straight away that the witch would never forgive him for hurting Bella, and so he, too, had abandoned the pack.

Bella glowed at the mutt, while he continued to bask in the warmth of her smile. Because I couldn't stand to watch, I cast my focus elsewhere: beyond the green fringe at the back of the house, into the woods, where the witches and wizards were waiting, seated amongst the high branches of the trees in patient silence. Harry's mind was the easiest to occupy – his thoughts were clear, generally pleasant and mature, and he wasn't easily distracted.

The wizard was sharing a cottonwood with Ron, who was guarding the right while his partner took the left.

"Charlie will be here in sixteen minutes," Alice announced, "and I can no longer see the others."

"I'm going out to help them," Embry stated, rounding on his heels.

"No," said Bella, her voice still weak, "you have to trust them. If you go out there, you'll only get in the way. This will be a piece of cake. Trust me."

The absolute conviction in Bella's voice was enough to halt Embry. The Wolf gnawed at his lip, looking uncertain. Eventually, however, he relented and went to stand by the glass wall.

"You'd better commentate, Edward," Emmett warned me. "If I can't watch the action, I damn well want to listen to it."

I nodded, casting my mind further into the woods. Minutes passed without incident; the humans waited. Twilight settled over the Olympic Peninsula as the sun slinked below the horizon, leaving behind a riot of violent colour, which acted as a glorious backdrop to the silhouetted trees.

Then I caught it –the undeniable rhythm of paws beating together – muffled thuds against the earth as they raced towards us, flying through the forest like six homing missiles, getting closer and closer.

I braced myself. "They're coming."

Seth's sharp inhale was loud in my ears. "How many?" he asked.

"All of them: Sam, Paul, Jared, Quil, Collin and Brady."

That last revelation, though unsurprising, put everyone on edge. The air was electric, charged by our combined anxiety.

It was then that Bella made a snap decision. In an attempt to restore the peace, she threw her arm through the air, hurling a spell from the tip of her wand. The lion burst from the room, catapulted upwards in a long and graceful arc, through the glass wall and into the sky. As soon as it was out of sight – blocked from view by the forest's emerald canopy – I flung myself further, searching for the mind of the man who was now my enemy.

Luckily, I found him before the patronus did, and had the pleasure of watching him skid to a halt as the blinding light of Bella's lion burst across his vision.

"Don't do this," the silvery figure implored, my wife's voice spilling through the air. "Turn back now. You're making a mistake."

It was a genuine plea, but the Wolves only heard a threat. When the patronus faded and their eyes readjusted, they resumed their sprint, determination ringing in their minds. Only Quil was reticent, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to switch sides, not when doing so would require him to leave Claire behind, the toddler he'd imprinted on.

The sound of snapping branches and rustling grasses echoed through the quiet forest, meaning that the witches and wizards heard the Wolves well before they saw them. The Quileutes were flying into a trap, and the best part was that they didn't even know it.

Collin was the first to fall. In his flight towards the house, his paw landed on one of the conveniently placed traps – a Down-U-Go. He yelped in surprise, halting the others, who turned just in time to see the earth swallow him whole. The pit he landed in was too deep to escape, even for a Wolf. Fortunately, the Down-U-Gos came equipped with a large bed of leaves to break the fall of anyone unlucky enough to drop into them, so Collin was left unharmed.

In an attempt to free their friend, the Wolves lowered Quill into the hole, a moment that George took full advantage of. It was then that the beloved scoundrel chose to release a Decoy Detonator. He used a hover charm to lower the device, which he placed a mere metre behind the distracted Wolves. All the while, the wizard covered his mouth with his free hand. It was all he could do to contain his cackles. The moment the Detonator connected with the floor, a thunderous racket exploded through the air, startling the Wolves into chaos.

Jared, alarmed by the unexpected discord, lost his hold on Quil, whose feet he had been gripping. Subsequently, Quil joined Collin in the depths of the Down-U-Go.

"WHATTHEHELL!" Jared screamed, his head whipping from side to side.

"They're armed!" yelled Paul, a vein bulging in his temple.

I snorted loudly. "Two down."

When Emmett demanded I explain my amusement, I began delivering every glorious detail, watching the madness through Harry's eyes.

"Where are you going?" Quil yelled when his brothers resumed their canine shapes, leaving him behind with Collin. Sam was determined not to surrender. In his head, my daughter was a threat to his people, whom he would do anything and everything to protect. It was his fear for them that propelled him forwards – that and his fury.

Brady was the next one down: he almost flew right over the Up-U-Go, but ground to a stop when a thick, fuliginous cloud suddenly erupted around him.

_I can't see! I can't see! _he screamed internally, blinded by the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.In his confusion, the rattled Wolf stumbled into the waiting snare of an Up-U-Go.

At the sound of his pitiful yelps, his brothers immediately u-turned. Their eyes blazed in their sockets as another Quileute was rendered useless, pulled into the air by his hind legs.

_God damn it! _Paul shrieked in his head, spittle spraying the ground as he barked in fury.

A poorly masked giggle had his head spinning in the direction of an enormous hackberry tree, where Cho Chang was sat with Padma Patil. They gasped as Paul surged forwards, incensed beyond reason. Their scents ripped up his nose, food for his rage. His legs coiled to spring, the power collected in his limbs suddenly releasing, thrusting him into the air, as his jaw snapping madly at the invisible legs of the witches.

All at once, half a dozen jets of light flew descended upon the Wolf, flying from all different directions. A few missed, but at least three met their mark, one of which happened to be Harry's. The wizard watched in silence as Paul collapsed onto his belly at the base of the tree, knocked out by the converging stunning charms.

A wicked grin spread across my face. "Another one bites the dust."

The Wolves never stood a chance. I almost laughed myself to death when Jared started fighting with his own reflection. As he sped towards a well-placed Magic Mirror, an identical Wolf shot out of the lens, just as solid and frightening in appearance as the original. I wasn't quite sure how the Quileute fell for it. How does one fail to recognise his or her own reflection? Either way, he lunged at the projection, his lips curling back over razor-sharp fangs. He hadn't anticipated that he would fly straight through his opponent, though. Perhaps that was why he failed to stop himself from crashing face first into the trunk of a colossal Sitka spruce. Despite his thick skull, the force of the impact was enough to knock him out.

"And then there was one," I smirked, staring through Harry's eyes as he awaited the signal. None of us knew if a single spell be effective against a Wolf. Bella's magic had worked on Paul and Leah when she'd turned them into pigs, but at the time they had been in human form. To ensure our success, the troops had planned a united strike.

"Now!" cried George, his voice echoing through the forest. Blinding light filled the site as the witches and wizards swished their wands in unison. A dozen red flares burst through the air, all directed at the one remaining Quileute. The black Wolf's speed meant that many missed, despite being well-aimed. Even so, Sam was a large target. This time, five spells hit their mark. The big bad Wolf teetered from side to side, his eyes turning glassy, before finally he dropped to his belly.

The subsequent cheering reverberated through the woods as the men and women celebrated their victory.

Emmett chuckled, his eyes landing on Jacob. "Wolves, eh? They're all so delicate."

The pup didn't appreciate my brother's sense of humour; his eye narrowed to slits. "Watch it, bloodsucker."

But Emmett couldn't help himself. He continued to laugh and goad, much to Jacob's irritation.

The experience and skill of Bella's friends had earned them and easy victory, and the 'battle' itself had lasted no more than six minutes.

After the ambush was over, the witches and wizards set about transporting the Wolves out of Washington State. Their primary goal was to get the Quileutes away from Bella, and to ensure they would not be able to hurt her during her pregnancy. It was for that reason that they took the unconscious Quileutes with them back through the Floo. Hermione had to perform the Homorphous Charm first, to return them to their human forms. Esme made sure they were all clothed before they were taken. She also prepared three backpacks for them, each containing food, a cell phone, clean clothes and a hundred dollars.

With that done, Sam, Jared and Paul were removed from the house. The witches and wizards were going to drop them off in Switzerland, where the Wolves would be forced to stay until they could raise enough cash to return home. I couldn't actually bring myself to feel sorry for the unfortunate trio, not after their failed attempt to murder my wife and unborn child. Unlike their friends, Quil, Brady and Collin, were allowed to go back to La Push, since Jacob was confident that the three would not act without their Alpha.

"Good luck, Bella," Angelina said before she left, gently casting her arms around my wife's neck. "Be safe."

"Bit late for that," George cracked, wagging his eyebrows. Bella threw a cushion at his face in response.

"Get out of here, Weasley."

"Yes, ma'am." With one final wink, George disappeared in a blaze of green flame. Angelina, the last of the humans, followed him a few seconds later.

With all the witches and wizards gone, there was nothing left to do but wait for Charlie. Jacob took that as an opportunity to speak with Bella. He sat by her on the couch, barely concealing his disgust as he stared at her boated stomach.

"I can't believe you're actually going through with this." The pup shook his head. "I just can't believe it."

Bella stared at him through narrowed eyes. "Why not?"

Jacob shrugged. "Because it's crushing you from inside out? Because it's kicking you to pieces?" _Because it's a god damn monster!_

"He can't help it," Bella defended. "It's not his fault. He can't control his strength, that's all."

"Oh really? And what about his thirst? What about that, eh? Are you going to defend him then as well – when he slaughters an entire village?"

My teeth snapped together automatically. Bella, too, was angry. Her eyes burned like hot coals as she glowered at her friend, seething at the unwelcomed question.

"My baby," she whispered menacingly, her nails digging into the arm of the sofa, "is not a murderer."

The Wolf held her stare, and answered, "Not yet."

From the way he was looking at her, his features twisted in pain, it was clear he believed that the witch would be our child's first victim. As if Renesmee could _ever _hurt her mother! I had seen the evidence of her love for Bella in the vision; the tears she'd cried when the witch had charged into battle were proof enough. My daughter was_ not_ evil.

Bella didn't want to continue the conversation any more than I wanted to listen to it. Perhaps that was why she chose that moment to escape to the bathroom. Rosalie went with her, eager to make sure she and the baby were safe.

I stood by window, awaiting Charlie's arrival. He would be here soon.

In an effort to fill the silence, Jacob scooped up a handful of pebbles from the coffee table. They clicked together in the palm of his hand as he lifted them for inspection.

"What are these?" he asked, peering at their small designs.

"Runes," Alice offered, without looking up from her book. "Each one represents a particular sound. Those pieces are part of a board game – the runic equivalent of Scrabble."

The Wolf didn't seem particularly interested in her response. In fact, he looked thoroughly bored as he deposited the pieces back on the table. They clattered together as they bounced off the polished wood, scattering randomly in the usual way.

"WHAT THE HELL!"

My head snapped immediately in the direction of the couch, where Jacob had shot to his feet. I followed his line of sight, feeling my stomach drop when I realised the cause of his sudden loss of colour.

Down on the table, the runes were moving.

One by one, they unexplainably scraped along the wooden surface of the coffee table, as if an invisible hand were guiding them.

The entire room froze; no one dared to move as we stared in silence at the sinister spectacle, overwhelmed with terror.

_Christ almighty, _Emmett thought, utterly speechless.

Seth gulped. _A ghost!_

Slowly, the runes began to move into line, forming a message that every cell in my body was desperate to reject. The moment I realised exactly what it meant, my entire world was plunged into turmoil. All I could hear was _that _word blaring in my thoughts like the high, piercing shrieks of a harpy, hell-bent on sending me insane. I tried to deny it – lies, all lies! But the cacophony in my head drowned out everything else, screeching out the word over and over, until it was all I could hear, all I could think – until I knew in my heart that there was absolutely no denying it.

It had _nev__er _been her he'd wanted – never. It had _never _been Bella he'd craved. It was something else that had drawn him in … the promise of someone else.

A sickness rolled within me, filling me up, colouring me black as the runes finally released my gaze. Ever so slowly, with venom in my eyes, I lifted my head.

Jacob Black stared back at me, confused by what he saw.

My lips curled back of their own volition, exposing my teeth as I snarled and hissed like a wild thing, consumed by red hot wrath that singed every part of my insides. Four pairs of livid, undead eyes stared at the Wolf – at the man I was about to turn to dust.

On the surface of the coffee table, boldly displayed for everyone to see, in ancient runic symbols, was a message I would never in a million years have hoped to receive - dreaded, clear and unmistakeable. A single word, a terrible truth …

Imprint.

**A/N: MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I do love drama … Review? Pwease?**


	5. The Human and the Orb

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I know I suck and I'm always keeping you waiting. Sorry. I hope this makes up for it, and I hope you're still interested. xxx**

**EPOV**

My mouth blazed with the acrid tang of metal as I charged at Jacob. By that point, I was way past 'conniptions', so I barely registered the tell-tale ripping sound of the Wolves' clothes exploding into tatters. Embry and Seth launched themselves in front of their bewildered friend, shielding him from my impending attack.

They need not have bothered though, because before I could ever make contact with the dumbfounded mutt, I was suddenly and unexpectedly jolted backwards by my sister, whose limbs wound around my own like Devil's Snare.

"Stop it, Edward!" she hissed through her teeth, struggling to restrain me. "Get a grip!"

But her words were wasted; any hope of rational thought had been lost the moment I'd seen the word 'imprint' spelled out on the table.

For more than a year, Jacob's persistent obsession with my mate, his constant meddling and his puerile attitude had plagued me. As if that in itself wasn't enough, now he wanted my daughter – an unborn, innocent child. He wanted to take her from me … from us.

_Sick! _my mind spat. _Foul! _

"Get off, Alice!" I snarled, attempting to shake her off. That was when my brothers joined the fray. Jasper took my left arm, while Emmett took my right. Outnumbered as I was, I was instantly overpowered.

Jacob watched the spectacle in complete and utter shock, staring back at me in open-mouthed horror as I practically foamed at the mouth, the venom pooling on my tongue as the monster in me reared its head. The unanticipated attempt at assault had given the mutt a sickly mien: beads of sweat lined his upper lip, and his skin didn't have its normal russet glow. If I hadn't wanted to kill him so much, I probably would have pitied him.

A sudden rush of air informed me that Carlisle and Esme had arrived from upstairs. They swooped into the room like a pair of falcons, gliding in opposite directions as they reached the bottom of the sweeping staircase. My father joined me, while his mate rushed over to my rival.

"Esme, Alice, get Jacob out of here," Carlisle ordered. He stepped in front of me then, attempting to block my view of the mutt. How silly. Had he forgotten that I didn't need eyes to see?

That was when I felt my sister's chokehold loosen. Confident as she was in Jasper's and Emmett's ability to subdue me, Alice slipped away.

"Jacob, outside. Now."

The mutt blinked. "But―"

"No buts! If you know what's good for you, you'll get the hell out of here."

I thrashed again, but my efforts were pointless; one vampire could not overpower two other immortals, especially when one of those happened to be Emmett.

The pup didn't even protest when my sister grabbed his arm, nor did he put up a fight when she and Esme started ushering him towards the back door. Just before he disappeared outside, he cast his eyes back over his shoulder, getting one last glimpse of the prophetic runes sitting on the coffee table.

And then, just like that, he was gone.

I struggled against my subjugators, whose hands gripped my wrists like iron manacles.

_Get a hold of yourself, Edward!_ Jasper demanded. _Killing Jacob won't make you feel better._

"Wanna bet?" I spat.

"I know you're angry, but getting into a fight with him will only upset Bella."

The empath's words were echoed by my father, who, despite having no clue as to the cause of the confrontation, was doing his best to dissuade me from acting on my impulses.

_In her present condition, causing Bella stress is the last thing you want to do, Edward. Think of the baby!_

By now, my father was an expert in pacifying me. He knew that any threat whatsoever to the people I cherished was intolerable to me, so when he pointed out that my black mood might increase my wife's anxiety levels, I had no choice but to rein in my emotions.

In that moment, my teeth could have ground through metal or bone as easily as the steely mandibles of a bear trap. Every paternal instinct I possessed was willing me to throw off my brothers and go tearing after the wolf.

_If I happen to accidentally rip off one of his lim__bs, Bella will probably forgive me eventually. _It was 'probably' that stopped me though. As usual, Jasper and Carlisle were right: I couldn't hurt Jacob, no matter how much he deserved it, because doing so would hurt Bella, too.

The inevitable groan was enough to assure my brothers and father that I wasn't about to demand a fight to the death any time soon. Still, I needed a way to shed some rage before Bella returned from upstairs.

_Where are you going? _Emmett panicked, when I started marching towards the back door – the very same that Alice and Esme had pulled Jacob through only a few moments before.

Ignoring my brother, I stormed in the direction of the nearest tree. Esme would kill me for sure, but I figured she'd understand eventually. Better the tree than Jacob's neck.

My knuckles smashed into the trunk, causing the bark to crack and crumble.

"GOD DAMN IT!"

I threw one punch after another in an attempt to expel my rage. The activity didn't last long though; after only six lunges, the giant cottonwood began to sway, its half-obliterated trunk no longer able to support the weighty branches above. Only when the tree began to creak and groan did I stop. I took a step back, watching with some satisfaction as it teetered in the gentle breeze, before it inevitably went slamming down into the earth.

While I stared at the mess I'd created, I waited for my rage to abate. I'd hoped that the act of maiming and destroying something would prove to be a cathartic exercise. In the end, though, I was just as furious and terrified as I had been before I'd ruined Esme's garden.

So absorbed had I been in the pointless task that I'd failed to notice the arrival of Bella's father. Now, free of distractions, I was alerted to him by the fresh scent of adrenaline, human blood and the pounding rhythm of his speeding heart.

_Urgh. Great. He saw._

With a heaving sigh, I slowly turned to face him.

He was standing between my brothers on the decking. Next to the behemoth that was Emmett, the alarmed, pale-faced police chief looked smaller and more helpless than ever.

I had never revealed my true strength to Charlie before. The most he had seen up until now was a game of vampire baseball and my sister carrying a Christmas tree more than twice her size last year. Still, there was a massive difference between shouldering a fir and using your bare fists to punch a hole through the trunk of a fully grown cottonwood.

It was clear that the man was frightened by what he'd witnessed. He stared at me with startled eyes, as if 'seeing' me for the very first time.

"Charlie," my father said from the doorway, "perhaps you should come back inside. Bella will want to see you."

Charlie nodded, but didn't move from his spot. He continued to watch me, his eyes occasionally dropping to my balled hands. For a moment, I thought he might turn to follow Carlisle, but the longer he studied me, the more he seemed to gather his courage. His stare, which only moments before – disarmed as he had been by the unexpected display – had been as feeble as a blunt blade, now seemed to recover its edge.

"That was quite the performance," he murmured finally, his mouth turned down in a scowl. "I knew you were strong, but …"

I responded with a grunt. I really wasn't in the mood right now for a chat about my physical abilities. I just wanted him to get the hell on with it. He was an intuitive man, and seemed to sense that that was the case.

"You couldn't have waited?" he said finally, thinking of what I'd told him over the phone.

My eyes dropped to my toes. I looked up just in time to see him grab a fistful of hair.

"For god's sake, Edward, Bella is practically a kid herself! You have all of eternity to think about starting a family, and you pick now?"

"It's not as simple as that, Charlie."

My father-in-law folded his arms, arching an eyebrow. Why couldn't there have been a cosmic remote for moments like this, one that you could use to fast-forward through time and skip all the awkward conversations?

"Vampire couples can't have children," I told him flatly.

Emmett frowned, shifting his weight. _Not yet, _he reminded me.

I nodded.

Charlie, meanwhile, stood frozen by the door. He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again.

"We're unchanging, you see." Charlie listened in silence while I explained the differences between vampire and human anatomy, and how it was impossible for my mother's and sisters' bodies to accommodate a growing child as Bella's did now.

He looked beyond me, into distances. "So … so what you're telling me is … it's now or never?"

I stared at my father-in-law, and heaved a sigh. That, it seemed, was enough to answer his question.

"Bella is impatient to be turned, Charlie," Jasper murmured. "And yet she wants this baby. What would you have had Edward do? Deny your daughter immortality and widen the age gap between them, simply to meet the expectations of modern society?"

If I hadn't been able to hear his thoughts, I would have sworn that Bella's father hadn't heard a single word my brother had said. Jasper's speech _had _affected him though. He turned the words over in his head, unable to decide whether or not he agreed. In the end, it all came down to one thing.

"Bella wants it?" he asked, still looking at me. But I didn't have time to answer him before a small voice bet me to it.

"She does."

Charlie jolted, startled by his daughter's sudden arrival. He spun to face her, stumbling backwards when he caught sight of her protruding abdomen. She was standing by the door, her small frame drowned in one of Emmett's football shirts. Rosalie was with her as usual, her hands carefully positioned beneath the witch's elbows in case she fell.

I approached them then. My sister glided away as I took her place.

Charlie looked stricken, his eyes glued to my wife's belly.

"Perhaps we should all go inside and sit down," my father suggested, "where Bella would be more comfortable."

The police chief nodded in agreement and wordlessly followed us into the house.

While Carlisle explained Bella's delicate condition to her astounded father, I cast my mind out, far beyond the house into the clotted depths of the forest, where Alice was looming over Jacob like a thunder cloud.

"Well?"

The wolf had collapsed onto a flat, mossy rock. He sat unmoving, slumped over with his head in his hands. For a few moments, the woods were quiet with nothing but birdsong and the sound of scurrying animals coming out of the thick maze of trees.

"Jaco―"

"You're lying," he hissed suddenly, slowly looking up at my sister with stony, black eyes.

Alice's fists clenched at her sides. "Right, because trying to fool a temperamental mongrel into believing that he's going to fall in love with a baby vampire hybrid is really my idea of a joke."

The mutt shook his head. He looked like he was about to throw up.

"You saw the runes for yourself," Alice reminded him. "You saw them move."

"So what?" he snapped. "Those symbols meant nothing to me, and even if they had, it wouldn't change anything. As far as I'm concerned, that was all down to the twisted sense of humour of some sick poltergeist! They didn't move on their own for god's sake! How can you be sure that whoever was responsible for it wasn't trying to trick us? I mean seriously," he raved, jumping up from the rock to pace the forest floor, "how can you tell that whoever was behind this is actually honest? For all you know you've got Pinocchio's ghost hiding in your attic!"

_If only, _thought Esme, who was standing calmly by my sister, arms folded in front of her. "Of course, there is a chance that the runes were wrong, but …"

Jacob stopped pacing, his hands on his hips. "But?"

My mother bit her lip. "But … perhaps … perhaps we should consider what we're going to do if they're not."

My nails dug into the arm of the chair as I waited for the mutt to respond. He tilted his head up to the rolling sky, his fingers clenched together behind his neck. I'm sure his mind was as chaotic as Alice's and Esme's. Either way, I found that I could no longer focus on any of them, because I was too busy considering the words the mutt had uttered earlier.

_They didn't move on their own for god's sake!_

No, they hadn't. Until now, though, I'd been so focused on Jacob that I hadn't actually considered who might have been behind the infuriating message. Someone with knowledge of the future, certainly… someone who had shared that knowledge with me before, and who might be tempted to do so again...

There was only one being who sprung to mind, of course.

I was only half aware of the conversation that passed between Bella and her father. She managed to fool him into thinking that she was perfectly fine though – perfectly safe and unhurt. Clearly I had been wrong about her acting abilities, because there was no way that Charlie was _that _obtuse. He listened to every word she said, microscopes for eyes, studying every smile, every gesture, every move that she made as he searched for the lie in her story. To me, he had never seemed more like a cop than he did then.

"Bella, hadn't we better be going?" Carlisle said, rising from the loveseat. "You're going to be late for your appointment."

Charlie frowned. "Appointment?"

"Lamaze," Emmett lied, his eyes gleaming with the promise of mischief. "Like Carlisle told you earlier, we're planning to carry out a C-section, but my meticulous brother is determined to prepare for every eventuality. Isn't that right, Edward?"

"Er―"

"Is that so?" said Charlie, voice slow and gruff. He scrutinised me for what must have been the hundredth time, frowning all the while.

I nodded.

My father-in-law leaned back in the armchair.

"Why don't you show him what they've been teaching you," Emmett suggested. "It will put Charlie's mind at ease if he sees how prepared you are."

The false concern in my brother's voice was enough to provoke a cutting glare, not that it had any effect. Unfortunately, Charlie agreed with Emmett. He wanted to know that his daughter was in safe hands.

_Ugh! Why me?_

With an utterly fake smile, I turned to Bella. After placing a hand on her knee, I motioned for her to follow my lead. Her teeth snapped together, but she went along with it, determined as she was to set her dad's mind at ease.

"In in out, in in out. Ee ee ooooh, ee ee ooooh." Thank god we were planning a caesarean. If I'd had to do the Lamaze thing for real, I think it might actually have resulted in the first recorded case of a fainting vampire.

Once the mortifying performance was over, I helped Bella off the couch so that she could give her father an awkward hug goodbye – awkward because she was getting quite big, and had to stand sideways to get close to him. Luckily, the witch had managed to convince Charlie that not only was she safe, but that she was also completely ecstatic about the pregnancy, which of course was true – we both were.

"If this is my only chance to have a baby, Dad, I have to take it. I already love him, so so much."

Charlie held his breath, staring at his daughter with warm, chocolate eyes. Then he sighed and pulled her back into a hug. "Yeah well, take it from me, that feeling doesn't ever really go away. You take care of yourself now, and him – or her… whichever."

The witch smiled against her father's chest. "I will."

She pulled away then, moving until her back was touching my chest.

Charlie stared at her for a moment longer, and then turned his eyes on me, pausing a moment before, finally, he held out his hand. "I, er, I guess I owe you an apology," he admitted.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I smiled. We shook. The exchange seemed to melt away the last piece of mail in Charlie's icy armour.

"You'll get it someday, son," he assured me. "One moment you think you know what's best for them, and the next they pull the rug right out from under you."

"How do they do that?" I frowned, still clutching Charlie's hand. Finally there was something that he could teach me – an area in which he was the expert and I was the novice.

He smiled, but it was bittersweet. Releasing his hold on my hand, he shrugged and murmured, "They grow up." _One day, out of the blue, you realise that you don't know what's best for them at all – they do – and all you can do is hope and pray that they're__ right, and threaten anyone and everyone they ever meet with bodily harm and murder if they ever even think about hurting your baby._

Ok, so maybe I wasn't a total novice. The promise of bodily harm: check. Murder: a work in progress.

"You'll get it someday, son," Charlie said again, patting me on the shoulder, failing to realise that I got it completely already. "And when you do, you might come to understand why I occasionally give you a hard time, particularly if _he_ turns out to be a _she_."

At that, I laughed. "I guess that's where being a bloodthirsty undead guy might have its uses."

The comment earned me a playful slap to the chest, courtesy of Bella, and a smirk from her father.

After we promised to keep Charlie posted on Bella's progress, the man congratulated us on our news. Now that he was satisfied that his daughter was looking forward to motherhood, he seemed quite happy with the prospect of becoming a grandfather. Granted, he'd hoped that the stork wouldn't be dropping by for a few more years at least, but if it was a choice between an early arrival or none at all, he knew which option he would prefer.

The very moment we heard the low pur of the engine, Carlisle began ushering Bella towards the chimney. Five minutes later, she was lying on a bed in St Mungo's 'Gunhilda Ward'. Initially, the healers couldn't decide where to direct us. In the end though, much to my irritation, they sent us to the first floor – the area reserved for patients suffering from 'creature-induced injuries'.

The ward was occupied by five other patients, one of whom had suffered an encounter with an angry banshee. The middle-aged wizard with flaming-red hair was lucky to be alive, since banshee screams were fatal to anyone unfortunate enough to hear them. Luckily, the creature had been afflicted with acute bronchitis at the time, a fact that had saved the man's life. Sadly, however, the attack had left him with permanent deafness.

The wizard's ears were gushing with blood, and nothing that the healers did seemed to be enough to stop it. Midas Mitt complained that he had never had to request so many blood-replenishing potions in one day. First the man with the irreparable eardrums, then Bella, whose red-blood cells, it seemed, were still on the menu.

As well as Mr Nesbit – the banshee victim – there were two other males sharing the ward: an elderly man and his grandson, who had been admitted together with severe burns, after an unfortunate accident with an ashwinder. The healers who'd tended to them had applied copious amounts of cooling ointment to the affected areas, which seemed to soothe their blistered skin.

In the bed farthest from Bella was a young lady who had been stung by two billywigs at once. Apparently, she'd smuggled them into the country after a trip to Australia. According to Midas, the woman had been found at four o'clock in the morning outside Buckingham Palace, where she'd been floating upside down shouting 'hello Queenie' at the top of her lungs for a good fifteen minutes before obliviators arrived to deal with the situation. After they'd wiped the memories of a few traumatised Muggles, including Her Majesty herself and Prince Philip, they'd confiscated the billywigs and had swiftly transported the witch into the care of St Mungo's healers, who had quickly proceeded to strap the woman down to the first bed they could get their hands on. In addition, they'd given her a silencing potion to prevent her from disturbing the other patients. Unfortunately, though, her thoughts were just as loud as anyone else's, and so I was forced to listen to her bizarre inner ramblings.

_If insects are attracted to light, why don't fireflies fly in circles? _The profundity of the question, for a moment, shocked the woman into stillness, which of course was soundless giggles shook the bed soon after.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling stressed. "Carlisle, can't we upgrade or something? You know, offer a donation to the hospital – bribe them? Seriously," I pleaded, pressing my palms together, "I'll do anything. Anything."

Alas, though, it was not to be. All the single rooms were taken, and so I had no choice but to endure the incessant madness of Miss Giddy three beds down. It was only when Renesmee cracked another rib that I managed to block her out.

To their credit, the healers were at Bella's side in a flash, swarming around her like bees, assiduous as ever in their efforts. After repairing the broken bone, Midas Mitt appeared with another blood-replenishing potion. Ensuring that Bella's red cell count remained at its highest continued to be a priority, which was why there was always a cup of blood on her bedside table. The moment the cup was empty, a healer would arrive to refill it. My wife consumed so much of the stuff in the first few hours of her stay that Emmett started calling her 'the iron maiden'.

Eventually, said 'iron maiden' sunk into a quiet slumber, her fingers still splayed tenderly across her belly. Once she was asleep, Emmett and Jasper revealed to our father the cause of the paroxysm he'd witnessed a few hours previous. Like the rest of us, he was completely astonished and spent the ensuing minutes gawking at the wall in dumbfounded silence.

Not long afterwards, Alice and Esme wandered into the room, bringing news of Jacob.

"He wouldn't believe me at first," my sister announced with a quick huff, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

"Could you blame him?" my mother asked, jumping to the mutt's defence. "_I _didn't believe you at first. No wonder Jake wouldn't. It's not as if he wants this. It's not his fault."

I would have protested if I hadn't thought that doing so would upset her. I didn't want to fight with Esme, especially not in a hospital.

"Did you manage to convince him?" Jasper inquired, arching an eyebrow at his wife, who stood on the opposite side of Bella's bed.

Alice shrugged. "We're not sure. He's in denial, obviously, but I think a part of him knows that it's true. He kept talking about a … a pull…" her gazed flickered briefly in the sleeping witch's direction, "an urgent need to be close to Bella. It didn't take him long to surmise that Bella wasn't the cause of it."

According to my sister, the possibility that Bella was carrying his imprint had disturbed Jacob almost as much as it had the rest of us. Although he wanted desperately to visit his best friend while she was in hospital, the thought of sharing any kind of bond with a vampire completely disgusted him, and so he'd decided instead to keep his distance.

_Poor kid, _thought Jasper, his countenance as bleak as the weather outside. _It must be awful for him – to have no control over who he loves._

I snorted in disgust. "Oh, please!" I hissed at my brother. "Are you actually pitying him, Jasper? You make him sound like a victim, special even. Well, he's not! He's not special at all. I mean, really, who _does_ have control over who they fall in love with? _I _certainly didn't, and neither did you."

"And yet you're furious with him," he pointed out, his expression incredulous, "for being guilty of the same thing that you yourself are guilty of."

I opened my mouth to protest, but found that I couldn't. I'd backed myself into a corner and now I couldn't form a single argument without sounding like a complete and utter hypocrite. Excluding Rosalie and me, everyone in attendance was beginning to feel sorry for the mutt. Everyone was on his side. That, combined with the fact that Giddy had 'I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts' on loop in her head, made it impossible for me to stay in the room a moment longer.

The doors swung violently on their hinges as I rammed through them. I heard my father call out to me in his mind, but I ignored him. It hurt to be away from Bella, even for a second, but I couldn't stay there. I needed to clear my head. I needed to get out, to get away from thoughts of Jacob – poor, helpless Jacob – before I went mad!

I'd had no destination in mind when I'd left the ward, but my feet seemed to know where they were going: I soon found myself staring at the big open fireplace of the entrance hall, floo powder at the ready. Before I could step into the flames, though, I was apprehended by my brothers.

"Where are you going, Edward?" Emmett asked, appearing on my right.

With a sigh, I turned to face him. I suppose it was only fitting that they join me. They'd been there the first time after all.

They fixed me with expectant stares, their eyes questioning. I nodded to the golden basin sitting on the large, stone hearth.

"I'm going to Hogwarts," I realised suddenly, "to see _her. _Now, are you coming or not?"

0o0o0o0o0o0

The golden hall seemed just as magnificent on our second visit. With its towering golden columns and glittering walls, one couldn't help but stand in complete and total awe. The sphinx was just as regal, too, wearing the same fathomless expression I remembered from our previous meeting, her blind eyes as hard and piercing as ever.

A single touch had been enough to wake her last time. Her spirit had sensed that her body was in danger, and so, in what could have been no more than twenty seconds, she had travelled directly from New York to Scotland, in order to defend what she had referred to as her 'shell'.

I approached the sphinx without hesitation and touched her paw, before stepping back to await her arrival.

Ten seconds passed, and nothing happened. Twenty seconds passed, and still nothing happened. Thirty seconds … nothing. Fifty … no change. Two minutes after I had made contact, Akharet slept on.

"I don't understand," said Emmett. "That should have worked. She should have sensed us."

_Maybe that's why she's still asleep, _Jasper thought, _because she knows that it's us._

"You think she doesn't want to talk to us?" I asked, turning to the empath.

He shrugged.

"Surely she would have to come back though," Emmett reasoned, "just to check if nothing else. Who's to say she isn't spying on us now?"

My brother had a point. It wouldn't exactly be out of character for her.

"All right, let's just say she _is _here," said Jasper, looking at me now. "What exactly do we want to ask her?"

I held my breath, biting my lip as I continued to gaze up at the silent creature. "I want to know," I said, projecting my voice through the hall, "why she felt the need to warn us about Jacob."

The very moment I finished uttering Jacob's name, a wispy voice echoed through my head.

_Not me, _it said.

I jumped with my brothers; they had heard it too.

"She's here!" Emmett exclaimed, pointing out the obvious. His eyes darted in every direction, as if he expected to find the sphinx pressed against a wall somewhere, or dangling from the ceiling.

The statement rang in my head, over and over again. _Not me._

"If it wasn't you that did it," I shouted at the statue, "then who? Tell me."

But the demand was met with silence. I should have known that she wouldn't indulge us. When had Akharet ever responded to commands? Sphinxes were proud creatures.

"Was it Léaina?" I pressed, the image of Atlantis's sphinx twins filling my head. "Was it Gáta?"

_No, _said the voice, ringing again in my mind.

"Then who?" Jasper pleaded. "Please, tell us."

We waited for what seemed like forever, but the question went unanswered. After a while, I heard Emmett sigh.

"Come on, guys," he said dejectedly, his shoulders sagging as he turned towards the exit. "She clearly doesn't know."

An image flashed suddenly behind my eyelids, as bright and vivid as lightning: a woman who easily surpassed Rosalie in beauty. She was exceptional, sheathed in a black hooded cloak, which concealed all but a sliver of hair as black as a raven's feathers. Her skin was as pale as the thin light of a winter's morning, her lips the colour of poinsettia. And yet, for all her loveliness, there was something incredibly sinister about that face – something menacing about the set of her mouth and the coldness of her eyes… those hateful, blood-red eyes.

The image vanished as quickly as it had come, but that didn't matter; it would be stored forever in the vaults of my memory, whether I wanted it there or not.

I glanced at my brothers. They were just as confused as I was, their brows furrowing atop wary, concerned faces.

"A vampire?" Jasper murmured, still staring at the sphinx. "Not one that I recognise, though."

Emmett shook his head. "Me neither."

"That makes three of us then," I muttered, feeling incredibly uneasy. What could possibly inspire a random vampire to get involved in something that affected her in no way whatsoever? How could she possibly know that Jacob was destined to imprint on my daughter? More importantly, how could she cause a set of objects to move without touching them?

"This woman, whoever she is, must be able to astral project," said Jasper, echoing my thoughts, "like Akharet. How else could she have learnt about Jacob?"

That was about as far as we got in our theory. We could speculate as much as we wanted to about the vampire and her motives, but it wouldn't get us anywhere. In the end, the sphinx's response had raised more questions than actual answers, meaning that I felt more agitated when I left than I had when I'd entered her lair. No matter how many times we implored her to help us, she refused to be of any further use, and continued to stare over our heads with eyes unseeing.

"Where are you going now?" Emmett demanded, hurrying after me as I stormed back through the tunnel. Jasper followed closely behind him.

I sped up the dimly lit staircase, urging my legs to go faster.

"Damn it, Edward!" my brother shouted at my back. "Where are you going?"

I didn't bother to stop as I answered him. I simply growled, "To the only other person I know who might actually be able to give me some answers!"

0o0o0o0o0o0

It was late morning when we arrived in Mahouyama. The sky was a blanket of soft blue and gold cast over a beautiful, acclivitous landscape. The blossom trees were nothing short of lovely, gleaming like mother of pearl in the splendid morning light.

Chiyoko was waiting for us by her mirror, her eyes closed as she listened to the pleasant accord of the wind-chimes clinking together in the gentle breeze.

"About time you got here," said the woman. Her skin looked as delicate and wrinkled as scrunched tissue paper. I couldn't even begin to imagine how old she must have been. She gestured for my brothers and me to sit down.

I didn't have time to waste, so I quickly took my place on the opposite side of the circular pool. Jasper and Emmett joined me a second later.

"Ask away," Chiyoko urged, her voice calm. Funnily enough, now that I was there, I had no idea what my question was. I seemed to have so many that I didn't know which to ask first.

"Jacob," I said flatly, after a while.

Chiyoko tutted. "Not the biggest of your problems really."

"But a problem all the same," I retorted. The witch seemed annoyed by my preoccupation with the mutt, pursing her shrivelled lips.

"It depends which way you look at it," she supplied. "Jacob will imprint on your daughter, yes. However, in light of what is to come, I would have thought that you, of all people, would have been more than grateful to know that there will be someone out there willing to risk his life to protect her."

"_I _can protect her myself," I snapped, shooting her a disparaging glare. "I don't need a mutt to help me take care of my daughter."

Chiyoko shrugged, unfazed by the venom in my tone; apparently she had nothing left to say on that matter.

A second later her eyes dropped to the pool of water before her. The witch hunched over the mirror, her small frame lost in the folds of an oversized jade kimono. She peered into the water, an image of the night sky filling her mind. _Mars was bright last night, _she mused, remembering the planet's violent orange glow as it spun its way through the ethers. "It won't be long now."

"What won't be long?" Emmett asked, his voice hard as he followed her line of sight to the crystal pool. But Chiyoko refused to answer, her glassy eyes still fixed on the water below.

I huffed, raking a hand back through my messy hair. "Earlier you said that Jacob wasn't the biggest of my problems. What did you mean by that?"

The witch tutted. "You know exactly what I meant by that. The danger, Edward. The threat."

I gulped. "When will it happen? Why will it happen, and how can I stop it?"

Chiyoko hissed. "'Don't try' is the simple answer. One way or another, it _has _to happen. It's unavoidable … inevitable. Fate will find a way to _make_ it happen. The more you struggle, the worse you will make things for yourself _and _for your family, Bella most of all. I will tell you as I told her, if you want to have your happily ever after, first you must pay for it."

"And why is that?" I growled at her, suddenly furious, bashing my fists against the earth, my lips curling back of their own volition. "Why is it that no one else outside my family seems to have to suffer as we do? We've burned, we've lived for decades in isolation. WHY? WHY IS THAT NOT ENOUGH?"

"Because you'll have eternity!" snapped the witch, her voice full of ice. "An eternity with the ones you love if you overcome this, free of misery, sickness and death. And you think that a mere century will suffice as a payment for _that?" _The witch threw her head back, a mirthless laugh escaping her lips. "You and your family stand to enjoy a happiness that no one else in this world will ever know, and for that you must endure adversity. Yet here you sit, complaining that life is too hard, as if you really are the first to face hardship, without a thought for the countless men and women who've lost their lives in pursuit of the very same thing you desire. Not even that – a fraction of it!

"Tell me this, Edward," she continued, daggers for eyes, "Do you want to spend your life looking over your shoulder, worrying for your wife's and daughter's safety?"

"You know he doesn't," Emmett growled. "None of us do."

"No, but it _will _happen eventually. Do yourself a favour and face it sooner rather than later."

I opened my mouth to protest, but the elderly witch cut me off in an instant. "Do as I say and accept this," she said, pleading now, "or I swear it will be to your detriment."

I glared down at the floor, feeling my fingernails grind through the stone I sat on. "You didn't answer my other questions," I pointed out a few moments later, after I'd finally managed to rein in my temper. "When and why will it happen? Also, the woman who moved the runes – who is she?"

The witch cocked her head to the side, blinking in confusion. "Woman? What woman?"

"I… the…" I sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of my nose. _God damn it. _"You know what, forget that. My other questions – when and why?"

Chiyoko exhaled loudly. It was a tired sound. "I'm afraid I can't answer that."

"You don't know?" Jasper guessed, but the witch shook her head.

"That's the thing – I do know, but it would be more … beneficial for you if you were to search for those answers … elsewhere."

_What the hell is she talking about? _Emmett wondered, just as lost as I was.

"There's something that you need to see," she told us, gently lacing her hands together.

To my left, Jasper angled forwards, hanging on the witch's every word.

Chiyoko glanced briefly at the empath. No more than a second later, though, her eyes snapped in the direction of Emmett, where they stayed for a long while. Finally, she said, "The answers to your questions lie within the belly of London―"

I froze in an instant, feeling as if I had been plunged into ice water. The belly of London… I had heard that phrase before.

"―in the Department of Mysteries," the witch specified, still staring at my brother. "Go there and you will have your answers."

She turned to me then, her black beetle eyes almost completely obscured by the wrinkled, drooping skin of her brow. One hand disappeared into her robes, searching amongst the silk folds and pockets. A second later, she extracted two small transparent vials, one filled with clear liquid, the other filled with a hazardous looking substance lime green in colour. "This," she said, indicating the first, "is the Draught of Living Death, and this," she continued, referring to the second, "is the antidote – Wiggenweld Potion.

"The Ministry will be heavily protected. You don't want to alert the guards, or you'll never get into the Department of Mysteries. One by one, slip them the draught, then get in and get out as quickly as you can."

She held out her withered palm to offer me the vials. Without a word, I reached out and took them, before slipping them into my trouser pocket.

_Go to the Hall of Prophecy, _the witch instructed._ Look for yo__ur name. Beware, though, only _you_ must touch it … Only you can lift the orb from its resting place._

"I―"

"Go now," said the seer, shooing us away with a backwards sweep of her hands. "Do what you must, and then return to your wife. Time is short. Go."

I didn't have to be told again; the mention of Bella was enough to remind me that she would be waiting for me after she woke up. I couldn't afford to waste time lingering here, and so I pushed myself to my feet, thanked the infuriating woman, and without any further ado turned to leave.

It would be two o'clock in the morning in England. We had six hours to infiltrate the Department of Mysteries – six hours to sneak in and back out again. Chiyoko was right: time was of the essence. With that thought in mind, I sped down the mountainside, a missile locked on to its target. My brothers were right behind me and, like me, were absorbed in thoughts of hidden corridors, secret prophecies and a long awaited bell jar.

0o0o0o0o0

We didn't travel immediately to the Ministry, despite the time constraints. After we'd reached the large open fireplace of the Spinning Dragon – Mahouyama's most popular inn and bar– Jasper had quite rightly pointed out that our knowledge of the Department of Mysteries was virtually non-existent. We knew barely anything about the place or its layout. Bella herself had told me once that it was easy to get lost down there, for in the Department of Mysteries, the rooms moved from one place to another without warning.

For that reason, it was unanimously decided that we should take a detour.

I could have kissed my sister when I saw her waiting for us by the fireplace of the Burrow, ready to go with a fully clothed but slightly dishevelled Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. She'd been watching us closely and had seen our meeting with Chiyoko. The moment she'd realised we'd be asking our human friends to assist us she had speedily rounded up the group, travelling first to Hermione's parents' home, then to the Burrow where Harry had been staying with the Weasleys. They'd agreed to listen to our plan, and, subsequently, had quietly assembled in the kitchen, which smelled of porridge, eggs and overcooked bacon.

They all looked exhausted, their eyes puffy and red from lack of sleep. It was hardly surprising; only a few hours ago they had been battling the wolves, and now we were asking for their help yet again. How I would make it up to them, I had no idea.

"I ope shiz gra'ful fo vis," Ron yawned, rubbing his eyes. His hair was sticking up at odd angles, as if he'd been dragged through a hedge backwards. "I don't get out of bed for just anyone, you know."

I smiled. "Actually, Bella doesn't know we're here. She was asleep when we left the hospital."

"Huh. Lucky for some."

"Why don't you tell us what this is about," Harry suggested, stifling a yawn himself. When I explained that my siblings and I needed to break into the Department of Mysteries, the witches and wizards became instantly alert. More than once they exchanged wary glances, obviously dubious about our plan. Hermione in particular seemed troubled by the idea of breaking and entering.

"I don't know, Edward," she said with a frown. "What you're talking about is … illegal."

"We know that," interjected Jasper, "but it's for the good of Bella. She's … in danger."

"What are you talking about?" Ginny demanded, her voice filled with alarm.

Jasper sighed, shoving a hand back through his hair. "We can't … we―"

"They can't say," Alice interrupted suddenly, her eyes dark and unreadable as she studied us from the shadows. "Like I told you back at the house, they're magically bound. Apparently, they know something else that we don't."

My sister gazed at her husband, searching his face. All the while, though, she directed her thoughts at me. The anger in her tone was clear. _I__ can't tell you how infuriating that cryptic little conversation was, Edward. All these references to a coming danger, yet not once did anyone actually mention what that meant._

"I'm sorry," I murmured. Truly, I was. I wanted nothing more than to unburden myself to my sister. I wanted her to know what was coming. I was used to sharing everything with her, and now I found that I couldn't.

Jasper sensed his wife's emotions, and subsequently used his gift to soothe her, but he was unable to smother her anxiety completely. It was still in there somewhere, hidden beneath the surface.

I turned back to the humans. They continued to stare at us with guarded eyes, turning our words over in their minds. Finally, Harry spoke up.

"The last time I broke into the Department of Mysteries, it was because I thought there was a threat to my god-father's life. Illegal or not, I'd do the same for Bella."

Ginny nodded slowly in agreement.

"We can't just go barging into the Ministry, Harry," Hermione whispered, trying to communicate her exasperation without waking Mr and Mrs Weasley. "Last time, Voldemort _wanted _us to get into the Hall of Prophecy. Why else would there have been no one to guard the place? Clearly he got rid of them all before we arrived."

"It won't be like that this time, though," Ron finished, a thumb absently tracing back and forth across his lower lip. "There'll be guards patrolling the corridors, particularly level 9. No one's getting into the Department of Mysteries without a solid plan." The wizard blinked out of his daze, his eyes snapping suddenly up at Jasper. "Do you have one?"

Jasper sniggered, as if to say, 'Are you kidding me? I'm the big shot major from the Confederate Army; of course I have a plan!'

My brother quickly explained our intended strategy. It hadn't taken us long to decide on one, because Chiyoko had done most of the work for us.

"So," said Jasper, grinning at Harry, "do you still have that invisibility cloak or what?"

0o0o0o0o0

The iconic scarlet telephone booth descended slowly through the pavement. The guard at the far end of the atrium looked up from his folded copy of The Evening Prophet. When he realised that the box was empty, he laid his newspaper and mug of pumpkin juice down on the desk in front of him, then stood up from his seat, one hand moving to the inside pocket of his peacock blue robes where his wand was stowed.

When the bright red telephone booth finally touched the floor of the atrium, the wizard cautiously raised his wand. "Is someone there?" he called. The man hadn't actually expected a response; after all, what kind of stealthy villain would ever reply 'over here, Mate'? When no answer came, the vigilant guard began his approach, carefully making his way towards what he had decided was a highly suspicious booth.

_Telephone boxes don't just drop through the floor of their own accord, _he told himself, _particularly after hours. That just doesn't make any sense._

I snorted quietly in response. _Because the idea of a telephone box dropping through the floor at all is pe__rfectly normal._

"Homenum revelio," the man said with a quiet, steady voice, his wand held out in front of him.

Nothing happened.

"Homenum revelio," he said again, just to be sure. When the spell, yet again, failed to produce an effect, the wizard sighed and lowered his wand, his arm dropping to his side as he lowered his defence. A second later, he squared his shoulders and resumed his march towards the telephone booth, this time moving with increased confidence and speed.

"Bloody thing," he grumbled to himself as he reached the gaudy kiosk. _Must be some weird malfunction. Either that or some silly bugger thinks it's funny to make himself a nuisance._

No longer the least bit wary, the guard pulled open the glass-panelled door. He didn't actually step inside; instead he popped his head in, his eyes roaming over the telephone, which was dangling by its metal cord, creepily swinging from side to side like a metronome.

The man huffed and slammed the handset back onto the base unit, before stepping back to shut the door.

All of a sudden, he felt something gust past him on his right, the abrupt rush of air disturbing his long robes. He looked around quickly, his eyes narrowing with confusion. The wizard's fingers tightened on his wand as he waited for a sign that he should alert the other guards. When a few minutes passed without further incident, however, the guard shook his head and reached up to rub at his eyes, having passed off the mysterious breeze as the trick of a tired mind.

"Depulso," he said, banishing the phone booth back to the street above, before plodding back to his station.

"Going mad, I am," he muttered. The wizard sat down and picked up his paper again, returning his attention to a story on a catastrophe involving a group of archaeologists, who had accidentally unearthed the skull of a fully grown dragon during the excavation of an ancient Roman settlement just outside of Colchester.

_Scale of Massive Muggle Discovery Causes Clean-up to Drag On_

_Following the recent discovery made by British archaeologist – Muggles who dig up earth and search for lost artefacts to learn about the past – obliviators have been working around the clock to modify the memories of the countless men and women who were present when the dragon skull was first uncovered._

_The Muggles were members of a well-known group of archaeologists who regularly appear on 'Time Team', a popular show that has been airing on British television for many years._

"_It wouldn't have been such a big job to modify everyone's memory," says Morpheus Weaver, one of the Ministry's most experienced obliviators, "if we'd only had to deal with the archaeologists involved. Unfortunately, by the time we realised that dragon remains had been found by Muggles, almost every specialist in the archaeological field was already aware of them."_

_According to Muggle specialist Arthur Weasley, this was a result of advancing Muggle technology, specifically the Internet – a giant web that allows Muggles to communicate instantly with other Muggles from anywhere in the world._

_Luckily, obliviators stepped in before the news could be broadcasted to the masses. In order to resolve the situation, however, the Minister for Magic has had to liase with the Muggle Prime Minister. The Muggle politician has since instructed MI5 employees to remove all evidence of the dragon skull from the Web._

"_It's proving to be a very difficult task," says the Minister for Magic, who has been monitoring the operation since it began. "Whenever we pull an image down, it pops up somewhere else."_

_The Minister later explained that such images exist in 'cyberspace' (a concept too Mugglish to be explained). In order to completely eradicate the picture, the Internet's entire infrastructure must first be destroyed. "Not only would this be immensely difficult to do," he continued, "it would also be incredibly stupid. The World Wide Web is a massive part of Muggle life. If it were to suddenly disappear, economies would collapse and the entire Western world would be thrown into chaos."_

_The news of such an intriguing web has captured the attention of countless witches and wizards across the globe. Magical creature specialist Casses Spinner today called for Ministry officials to take a page out of the Muggle world's book._

"_Is it not a little strange," said the wizard, "that our methods of communicating with one another are less advanced than those used by our non-magical neighbours? We should be making plans to build a world wide web of our own. I'm sure Britain's acromantulas would be more than happy to help, so long as the right incentives are provided."_

_Whether or not the Minister agrees to consider Mr Spinner's proposal is another matter. In the meantime, however, Kingsley Shacklebolt has promised to devote as many obliviators as are available to keeping the existence of dragons and the magical community under wraps. With a bit of luck, the World Wide Web will not be the cause of any more sticky situations in the future._

The guard rolled his eyes as he finished reading the article, and flipped slowly to the next page. "A World Wide Web, eh … pfft! What a load of codswallop. I 'ent seen no ruddy web."

The man shook his head and reached out for his mug of pumpkin juice, lifting it slowly to his lips. He took a small sip, and lowered his arm to place the mug back on the desk before him. Before it was safely back on the table-top, though, the mug slipped straight out of the man's grip. A second later, it shattered all over the gleaming wood floor, orange liquid exploding in every direction. The guard slumped forwards in his seat, falling flat against his desk, the first victim of Chiyoko's Draught of Living Death.

Alice whipped off the invisibility cloak while she waited for the rest of us to enter the atrium. Hermione had placed a powerful Confundus Charm on the visitor's entrance, which normally would not admit anyone into the Ministry outside of working hours. After the witch had finished weaving her spell, however, it was easy to dupe the magical telephone booth, which now seemed to think that the time was just after midday.

My sprightly sister had volunteered to enter ahead of everyone else. She'd descended into the Ministry in the phone kiosk, concealed by the invisibility cloak, and had managed to slip past the guard to spike his drink with the seer's potent concoction. When the wizard had first called out 'Homenum revelio' I'd been terrified the spell would reveal Alice. Hermione reminded me later though that that specific spell only worked against humans.

"Nice work," said Emmett upon reaching our sister.

Alice folded her arms. "Are you kidding? I thought we'd be waiting all night for him to take a swig of his juice."

Harry checked his watch. "It's already half past three. We need to take care of the others, and by that I mean all of the guards, not just those protecting the Department of Mysteries. There are others upstairs, and we can't risk them finding this guy unconscious." He indicated the wizard with a nod.

"Harry's right," said Hermione. "We don't want anyone raising the alarm while we're downstairs, otherwise we'll have no chance of getting out without being caught."

Alice agreed to incapacitate the rest of the guards, and instructed us to wait by the desk until she was finished. It didn't take long, no more than ten minutes in fact. One by one, they sank into the inescapable clutches of sleep, overwhelmed by the seer's potion.

After finishing her task, my sister awaited us inside one of the lifts located at the far end of the entrance hall. Somehow, we all managed to squeeze in together. The moment the doors closed, the elevator jolted backwards, moving us away from the polished wood floors and peacock ceiling of the atrium, before plunging down to the ninth and lowest level of the Ministry of Magic.

The doors opened with a cheerful ping, which seemed to belie the nervous mood that had suddenly overcome the group.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Emmett worrying his lip, clearly anxious about our imminent venture into the Department of Mysteries. _This is it, _I heard in his head. _This is where I'll find it, I know it._

Naturally he was thinking about the bell jar – the one the sphinx had foretold would enable him to give his wife the very thing she wanted most in the world: a baby.

The lift opened to reveal a long, plain corridor, at the end of which was a black door. Two guards were lying on the floor by the entrance to the department, their bright blue robes puddled around them.

Jasper led the way, carefully stepping over the wizards when we reached the end of the passage. He grasped the doorknob and gave it a quick twist. "Here we go," he murmured to himself.

The door slowly swung open to reveal a large circular room, whose walls, floor and ceiling were the colour of midnight. Between twelve identical black doors, all of which were handle-less, there were candles branching off the walls at intervals. The eerie light of their blue-burning flames reflected off the inky marble floor, giving it the appearance of dark water.

One after the other, we cautiously wandered inside. Before the door behind us closed on itself, I heard Ron whisper 'Flagrate'. Through his eyes, I watched as he drew a fiery 'E' on the dark wood, something he had remembered from their last visit. The moment the door clicked to, the walls suddenly began to rotate, whizzing around and around.

"'E' is for exit," Ron told us, when the walls of the room had finally come to a stop. I didn't want to remind him that Alice would be able to 'see' our way through the department. All she had to do was decide on a door to open, and she would immediately know what lay behind it.

"Which one?" Jasper asked, staring at his wife, his thoughts clearly mirroring my own.

She pointed to the one directly opposite us, her glazed eyes seeing beyond the door. She led the way, pausing just before the threshold, her brow furrowing slightly.

"What is it, Alice?" her mate probed.

My sister shook her head, the image of a twinkling bell jar filling her mind. "I – it's … I'm just seeing some weird things. You'll find out soon enough."

And with that, she pushed the door open, and my eyes were suddenly flooded with brilliant light that sparkled off every surface, as if the entire room had been adorned with precious stones – an enormous contrast to the gloom of the entrance chamber. In addition, a persistent ticking abruptly filled my ears, and when I cast my eyes about the room, I realised why: almost every available space was occupied by a timepiece. In the spaces between bookcases, the walls were covered from top to bottom with clocks of every description, their pendulums swinging back and forth in perfect synchronisation. Watches were strewn over desk tops, and pretty golden time-turners glittered inside cabinets.

None of that was of any interest to me though, for my eyes were riveted to the source of the dancing light, beyond which there stood another door.

A sharp intake of breath revealed that Emmett had seen the bell jar, too. I glanced to my left where he stood beside me, and sure enough his gaze was aimed at the crystal container at the end of the room. The light it emitted reflected off his skin in rainbows.

The humans pressed on. They didn't realise until they reached the far end of the room that my siblings and I were still rooted in place.

Harry frowned, looking back at us with his hand on the door knob, before exchanging a worried look with Ginny.

"Err … is everything all right?" she asked, a small crease forming between her eyes.

"Fine," I responded, still staring at the bell jar, inside of which there lay an egg. It was floating, riding upwards along a rainbow current. Without warning, the egg suddenly started to hatch and, in record time, out popped the slimy head of a tiny new-born chick. In the ensuing moments, I felt my eyebrow rise halfway up my forehead, because the bird miraculously started to grow the higher went. In no time at all, it had aged into a fully grown hummingbird, its feathers a mixture of vivid emerald and sapphire. The egg reached the top of the vessel, and then slowly began to descend. As it fell, the bird started to shrink, until it resembled the bedraggled chick that had first emerged from the shell, which magically resealed itself a second later, as if it had never cracked open in the first place.

My brothers and sister were mesmerised, just as I was. Together, we approached the towering bell jar drawn to its dazzling brilliance like winged insects.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," Hermione cautioned. "The container is permeable. If any part of you passes through onto the inside, be it a hand, a foot or you head, it will immediately start to … youthen."

The witch's words fell on deaf ears though. Emmett wasn't about to walk away without learning the power of the mysterious object, not after what the sphinx had told him. He took a step closer, his eyes captivated by the rainbow current as the hummingbird repeated the cycle for a second time.

He stared at it for a moment longer, weighing up his next move, his ice-blue eyes as large and glassy as giant marbles. He drew a long, deep breath then, the familiar determination overriding his uncertainty.

_Here goes nothing, _he told himself, before, without any further ado, he stepped through the glass of the shinning bell jar.

The very moment he was on the other side of the barrier, a sudden thud filled my ears, then another a second later, then a third. My mouth gaped open in absolute awe as I realised I was hearing Emmett's heartbeat. My brother stared down at his chest in absolute astonishment, his eyes as wide as saucers. His focus switched a moment later to his wrists, where his long dead pulse suddenly burst back into life, the hard, crystalline flesh of the vampire gradually melting into the softer, rosier skin of a mortal man. Blood flooded his cheeks, until they looked flushed and healthy. I had never actually seen him with this much colour, even before his transformation. By the time Rosalie had carried him back to the house all those years ago after she'd found him in the woods, he'd lost so much blood that his complexion had been closer to that of a vampire's than a human's. He stood there, inside the bell-jar, until there was no sign that he had ever been immortal.

And then he stepped out – my brother, Emmett … the human.

My mind struggled to make sense of the sight before me. I could only compare the situation to standing bang in the middle of Tornado Alley, where order could become chaos in the blink of an eye. My mind was in complete disarray, caught in a whirlwind that turned every single thought I had upside down.

Jasper and Alice were in similar straits, staring in open-mouthed astonishment at the man who only ten seconds ago had been a vampire. Ten seconds! And such an easy transformation! It almost made the last century of suffering seem like a joke, as if the universe had been playing tricks on us all this time.

_I'm not turning back, _my stunned brother realised. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he grasped at his throat as he realised that, for the first time in over half a century, his lungs actually _needed _oxygen.

"I'm not turning back," he said, aloud this time. "I'm not turning back!"

His eyes bored into mine. For a moment, the air seemed to get lodged in his throat, only to whoosh out through his lips a second later as the enormity of our discovery finally hit him. When he suddenly began to hyperventilate, Jasper was forced to step in and use his powers to calm him.

I could smell the adrenaline coursing through my brother's veins, that and the sweet smell of his blood. Incredibly, I cracked a smile; Rosalie hadn't been lying when she'd spoken about Emmett's human scent: he _did _reek of daisies and vanilla.

My amusement was short-lived though, and my brother's voice quickly brought me back to reality. "She lied to us," he murmured, staring intently in my direction as the image of the sphinx filled his face. _She said there wasn't a cure._

I felt my brow furrow when I realised that he was right. Akharet had told us that there was no such thing as a cure for vampirism when Jasper had quizzed her on the subject last year, after we'd stumbled upon her golden lair. And there was no way she could have been lying- the spell she'd placed on my brothers and me would not have been binding if she had not upheld her end of the bargain and answered us honestly. Yet there my brother stood, as bold as brass in his new skin.

I didn't know what to say, and neither did Jasper by the sound of his thoughts. Neither of us could figure out how the sphinx could have fooled us, even though it was as clear as day that she had somehow duped us. And then, of course, one had to wonder why. Why would she feel the need to?

None of us could believe what we were seeing. Even Alice – the psychic vampire who was never shocked by anything – looked shaken.

"I don't understand," my sister whispered with a shake of her head. "I don't … I don't understand. This can't be happening."

But it was. There was no denying the ocular proof. My brother really was a human.

We stood in silence for the longest time, simply staring at one another. The humans were at a loss for words, too. After all, this was a new discovery for them as well.

The whole thing was almost comical. Ron kept leaning to one side, as if seeing Emmett from a different angle would change the reality.

_Can't be, _he told himself. _He just … can't be!_

_I'm seeing things, _decided Hermione. _Ron's finally done it – he's sent me round the twist!_

Fortunately, at least one member of our party managed to regain his senses.

"We should probably push on," Harry announced abruptly, his voice breaking through the mental bedlam. "We're running out of time. There'll be plenty of time to marvel over this later."

I nodded absently and wandered in his direction, my eyes still resting on my brother.

Emmett glanced at the bell jar, briefly contemplating stepping back inside, before he decided against it and turned to follow the other humans. I trailed on behind him, beside Alice and Jasper.

Together, we pushed through into the next room – an endless chamber as tall as a cathedral, with rows and rows of towering shelves, many of which were empty. The place was gloomy and sinister, lit by the same muted blue light that had filled the entrance hall.

"Where to, Alice?" Jasper asked.

His mate's eyes clouded over, her eyes seeing the things that others couldn't. Without a word, she drifted beyond us, moving like a ghost down the aisle, until she came to a set of shelves on our left that was filled with small glass orbs, some of which glowed softly in the gloom, emitting a faint light from within.

"At least the Unspeakables managed to restore _some _of the prophecies after the battle," said Hermione. "I felt bad for causing so much damage."

"How could they have done it, though?" Ron wondered, a puzzled expression forming on his face. "Restored it all, I mean."

Harry shrugged. "The original prophecies could have been replaced. It's just like Dumbledore said – they're only records. As long as the person they were made to is still alive, I assume another record can be made to replace any that were broken."

"Fair point," replied his friend, before sinking back into silence.

Alice stopped abruptly in front of one of the shelves, her eyes pinned to an orb sat a few feet above her head. She raised a willowy arm to point at it. "There."

I followed her line of sight, until my eyes landed on a crisp white label covered in elegant, dark green text. My eyes greedily swept over the words.

_H.C. to N.E._

_Edward Cullen, Bella Cullen and Renesmee Cullen_

_Versus_

_Aro, Caius and Marcus_

Beside me, Alice was as still as a statue, her mind screaming in horror as she reread the words. She shook her head, as if denial could change the future.

"Go on, Edward," I heard Jasper say. I remembered then that only I could lift the orb from the shelf; anyone else who tried to remove it would immediately fall prey to a curse that sent its victim insane.

Hesitantly, I reached up for the orb, standing on my tip-toes, until my fingers brushed the delicate glass.

"Now what?" I asked the humans when it sat safely in the palm of my hand.

"If you want to hear the prophecy," explained Harry, "you'll have to smash it."

I glanced down at the object, wondering if I actually _did_ want to hear the truth. I already knew that the Volturi would come for us. What I didn't know was why. I bit my lip, fear mercilessly gripping my heart. If I refused to listen, I might be able to pretend for a little while longer that my future would be filled with nothing but happiness – that Bella and Renesmee would be safe for eternity. The moment I heard the words, there would be no going back. I would no longer be able to lie to myself, to delude myself into believing that the danger was over.

The less I knew though, the less prepared I would ultimately be when they came for us.

With one long, determined breath, I swung my arm through the air and sent the orb smashing onto the floor, the sound of shattering glass immediately feeding the strong sense of foreboding. The very second after the orb had been destroyed, a strangled voice filled the air.

"_When Venus makes her path across the sun … two destinies h__er wondrous spell shall seal … A body born of ice shall wed with one of fire … after Love unites dear witch and immortal vampire … From __this union there shall come a child … twinned with Mars – bringer of war … condemned to die by order of kings … the bloo__dy three who covet sight and power … Yet there is hope of victory still … for the child who'll be known as one and the other … It lies within the pawn turned queen … It lies within the mother."_

The voice died away, leaving me with nothing but an incredible feeling of emptiness. I was so overwhelmed by the sinister words that my mind barely registered the shrill screams coming from inside the heads of my friends and siblings.

It was Renesmee who they wanted. It was Renesmee who they would come for.

_Of cours__e, _my inner voice whispered, _what else could ever motivate Bella to respond so violently to so many vampires?_

At one point, I had suspected that it would be her that would draw them to Forks – that they would discover her powers and would subsequently declare war on my family in order to destroy what they considered an abomination.

But no. A threat to Bella's life would not have provoked the kind of reaction that I'd seen in the premonition the sphinx had granted me last year. If I knew Bella, that kind of rage could only be awakened by one thing and one thing alone: a threat to the life of some she loved. In her eyes, her own life meant little in comparison to the lives of others. And at the end of the day, when all was said and done, whose life could ever matter more to a mother than that of her child?

Why they would come for my daughter, I couldn't say. Perhaps they would assume she was an immortal child. That would certainly provide them with reason enough to give us a death sentence. Whatever their motives, I already felt the swell of outrage and fury that every parent experiences when someone threatens their blood.

Rage forced my jaws to clench, venom suddenly pooling in my mouth in despite of the dragon's blood I had consumed earlier that day. It was fire on my tongue … acid in my mouth, and it burned away all hope of rational thought, until nothing was left but pure animal instinct.

"The Volturi…" Alice murmured, her olive eyes wide and desolate, "they're coming for us."

Emmett and Jasper nodded, sadness and fear swimming in their eyes.

"Now you know everything," the empath told his wife.

Alice nodded in response. She exhaled shakily, collapsing back against the towering stack of shelves to stare up at a ceiling that was lost in darkness. Hermione slumped down to the ground beside her.

The humans had heard of the Volturi and knew how dangerous they were. They also knew that the powerful coven would severely outnumber my family. As much as they wanted to help, there was very little that mortals could do to injure vampires. Professor Martin had made that clear when he had invited my siblings and me to assist him in one of his Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons back at Hogwarts.

_This can't be happening, _thought Hermione. _It just can't. Not to Bella._

My fists clenched at my sides.

"Perhaps it's a good thing that Jacob will imprint on Renesmee, after all," Jasper muttered suddenly, immediately jerking my attention away from the panicking human. My brother traced his lower lip with his thumb. "I'm not saying I like it, but the boy _is _an Alpha now. If he decides to defend Renesmee, the rest of his pack will join him. They'll have no choice, and Sam will not stand by and let his friends endanger themselves without pledging his own support."

"He's right," Emmett realised, staring at the ground.

As was to be expected, part of me – a large part at that – wanted nothing more than to argue that my brothers were wrong … that we didn't need Jacob and his lapdogs at all. But the more I thought about it, the more I had to agree with them: the more support we had when we faced the Volturi the better. And if it came down to it – if I had to choose between keeping Jacob away from my daughter and giving her extra protection, I knew which decision I would make each and every time. I hated almost more than anything the idea that Jacob would imprint on Renesmee, but I would hunt him down to the ends of the earth and drag him back to meet her kicking and screaming if I thought he would sacrifice his own life for hers when the time came.

Harry hugged Ginny to him. She buried her head against his neck in an attempt to block out the nightmarish thoughts currently infesting her mind.

"What's the plan?" the wizard asked in a hard voice, a steely resolve visible in his vivid green eyes, which were currently aimed at me.

"Well first," piped Emmett, "I'm going back to that bell-jar so I can get back into my battle armour. I can't face the Volturi in this thing," he said, indicating his body with a wave of his arm. "In the meantime, I'd appreciate it if none of you would mention this whole human business to Rose. I don't want to promise her the future she's been dreaming of for decades until I'm confident there's no threat to any of our lives."

We all nodded silently in agreement.

"And then what?" asked Ron, folding his arms as he cast his eyes about the group. "What's the plan? How do we get through this?"

I stared ahead into the gloom, seeing nothing … nothing but the bloody images in my mind's eye – images that were being conjured by the hissing, snarling creature within. Once I had referred to him as 'the Monster'; now I had a new name for him: Daddy.

"It's actually rather simple," I said slowly, the calm of my voice belying the blistering hot fury I felt inside. When I failed to elaborate, Ron exchanged an uncertain look with Harry.

"W-what's simple?" stuttered the wizard. "What are you going to do?"

I continued to watch the scene play out behind my eyes as I answered him, revelling in the blood and gore and justice of it all. Now that I knew what they were coming for, I believed more than ever in the sphinxes predictions. After all, what force in this world could _ever _be more dangerous than a magical new-born vampire powered by sheer maternal instinct?

"Edward?" Hermione pressed in a small voice, pushing herself back to her feet, before she repeated her boyfriend's question. "What are you going to do?"

I stared on into distances, an evil smile pulling at my lips. "I'm going to welcome them," I murmured calmly.

I sensed rather than saw the exchange of anxious glances shared between my friends and family.

"W-what?" said Emmett, his voice shaking for the first time in decades.

My smile disappeared, washed away by iron determination and white-hot hatred. "The Volturi – I'm going to welcome their arrival," I said again. "I'm going to stand there in the field with a smile on my face as they come to take my daughter from me. And then I'm going to unleash her – I'm going to unleash Bella upon them … and watch her kill them all."

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed that. Like I keep saying, I WILL finish this story. It just might take me a while, that's all. I have a very busy job and life, and things get in the way of writing. I have a busy couple of months coming up, and probably won't get time to write again until the end of May. Sorry for the long waits. I hope you'll stick with me.**


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